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Blaze Destroys Johnny Cash's Home

WEDNESDAY APRIL 11 2007 3:00 PM

Submitted by erin_broadley. Edited By erin_broadley.

TAGS: johnny cash, hendersonville, house, fire

In what appears a heartbreaking instance of life imitating art, the Hendersonville fire department announced that Johnny Cash's lakeside Tennessee home burnt down today, leaving only its stone chimneys to commemorate where the late legend and wife June Carter Cash lived from 1968 until their deaths in 2003. Current owner Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees, who snatched up the property in 2006 for a not-so-modest $2.3 million, was renovating the three-story house. Reports say Gibb is, “saddened and devastated by the news," while Cash is probably turning in his grave.

The Hendersonville fire chief, Jamie Steele, did not know the cause of the fire, but confirmed that a flammable wood preservative applied to the outside of the house during refurbishment helped spread the flames.

The fire began at lunch time and although fire engines were on the scene within five minutes they were unable to quell the flames.

Marty Stuart, Cash's former son in law, lives on the neighboring property and had this to say:

"So many prominent things and prominent people in American history took place in that house - everyone from Billy Graham to Bob Dylan went into that house."

In addition to being the watering hole for other legendary artists, the home was also used for Cash's music video for his final recording, a cover of NIN's "Hurt."

Let the "Ring of Fire" jokes commence....

39 Comments

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Femke

Lloydminster, AB

March 2007

APR 11, 2007 03:03 PM

i did it

killerd

Gainesville, FL

August 2004

APR 11, 2007 03:08 PM

i thought i was having the worst week of my life and then it got a little bit worse when i heard this, this morning....

i guess on a bright side (if there is one) a beegee won't be living in Johnny's house...

NotJason

Orono, ME

October 2004

APR 11, 2007 03:12 PM

Johnny Cash had at least a couple houses though. Surely this is a blow to preserving all things Johnny Cash, but there were plenty of other places he called home.

xfinitex

East Lansing, MI

August 2005

APR 11, 2007 03:14 PM

Thats....sad.

Zamuzel

United Kingdom

September 2006

APR 11, 2007 03:14 PM

But I though Blaze seemed like such a nice girl...

ghostina

Tampa, FL

July 2002

APR 11, 2007 03:27 PM

Mockingbird

Chicago, IL

January 2006

APR 11, 2007 03:28 PM

Thank god the BeeGees didnt get to it.

jimmy_heartcore

Dover, FL

February 2005

APR 11, 2007 03:36 PM

Mistake #1 wasn't burning it down, it was letting it be bought up in the first place.

It should have been preserved and kept as a landmark. Not auctioned off the the first ex-superstar with deep pockets.

Johnny Cash was a hero to the poor man. Figures that some rich douchebag decided to renovate this man's historic residence and ended up fucking it up for future generations.

Damn that Barry Gibb.

FistFuck

HOPEFUL

San Antonio, TX

APR 11, 2007 03:39 PM

very sad...

FridgeMagnet

Chicago, IL

November 2004

APR 11, 2007 03:42 PM

nobody died or got hurt, and I don't even own a lakehouse, so I don't give a fuck.

AndersWolleck

Astoria, NY

February 2003

APR 11, 2007 04:00 PM

was he ok?

jaggy

Austin, TX

October 2003

APR 11, 2007 04:06 PM

good god almighty! that sucks.

SocietysPliers

Ocala, FL

October 2004

APR 11, 2007 04:11 PM

AndersWolleck said:
was he ok?

I assume you mean Barry Gibb. I don't think he was home.

JC, of course, has been dead for a litttle while now.

Yeah, Johnny had that hom, one in Nashville, and one in Jamaica at the very least. He moved into the one in Jamaica in the 90s after he was stricken with the serious neurolical disease that was first misdiagnosed as Parkinson's, then Shy/Drager Syndrome, then finally just given a broadrange semi generic disorder name. Following that he suffered from seriouspneumonia several times in one year and I think that's when he went to live and recuperate in Jamaica.

But the one that burnt down was pretty much the really historically notable one.

I just heard Kris Kristofferson on a local country station discussing it and how he'd once landed a helicopter there to surprise Cash. It seemed like the fire had significant emotional impact on Kris.

I'm glad no oone was injured.