Fire destroys Johnny Cash's lakeside home

[D-Day]

Hendersonville, Tenn. - Johnny Cash's longtime lakeside home, a showcase where he wrote much of his famous music and entertained U.S. presidents, music royalty and visiting fans, was destroyed by fire on Tuesday.

Cash and his wife, June Carter Cash, lived in the 13,880-square-foot home from the late 1960s until their deaths in 2003. Barry Gibb, a former member of the Bee Gees, purchased the home in 2006 and had hoped to remodel it and eventually write songs there with his wife.

One firefighter was injured, authorities said.

"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," said singer Marty Stuart, who lives next door and was married to Cash's daughter, Cindy, in the 1980s.

Stuart said the man who designed the house, Nashville builder Braxton Dixon, was "the closest thing this part of the country had to Frank Lloyd Wright." When Cash moved there, the road was a quiet country lane that skirted Old Hickory Lake. Kris Kristofferson, then an aspiring songwriter, once landed a helicopter on Cash's lawn to pitch him a song. Roy Orbison was his next-door neighbor for a while.

Parts of the landmark video for Cash's song "Hurt" was shot inside the house.

"It was a sanctuary and a fortress for him," Stuart said.

"There was a lot of writing that took place there." Richard Sterban of the Oak Ridge Boys lives on the same road.

"Maybe it's the good Lord's way to make sure that it was only Johnny's house," Sterban said.

Dixon built the three-story house in 1967 for his own family, but Cash fell in love with it. Dixon was reluctant to sell, but Cash kept after him.

"It was a very, very unusual contemporary structure," said Cash's brother, Tommy Cash. "It was built with stone and wood and all kinds of unusual materials, from marble to old barn wood. I don't think there was a major blueprint. I think the builder was building it the way he wanted it to look." The younger Cash said many holidays and family get-togethers were spent at the house. And while Johnny and June also owned a house in Jamaica and a second house in Tennessee, they considered this to be their home.

"Johnny and June lived there the entire time they were married," Tommy Cash said. "It was the only house they lived in together until they both passed on." The fire, in this suburb about 20 miles northeast of downtown Nashville, started around 1:40 p.m. Fire trucks arrived within five minutes, but the house was already engulfed, Hendersonville Fire Chief Jamie Steele said.

Just a few hours later, there was almost nothing left except stone chimneys.

The cause is unknown, but Steele said the flames spread quickly because construction workers had recently applied a flammable wood preservative to the exterior of the house. The preservative was also being applied inside the house.

Cash's long career, which began in the 1950s, spanned rock 'n' roll, folk and country. His hits included "Ring of Fire," "Folsom Prison Blues" and "I Walk the Line."

http://www.denverpost.com/movies/ci_5638297

[darkwolf29a]

Now that is sad.

[fretbuzz]

Sad news.

The wife and I were watching The Bee Gees, One Night Only, the other night and the wife just happen to mention that Barry had bought that house.

[CheriAnn]

Oh man, I hate to read such tragic news....

[anamosity]

that sucks, hope the fireman is alright.

[2WheelFun]

workers had recently applied a flammable wood preservative to the exterior of the house. The preservative was also being applied inside the house.


Uhhhmmmm...this would do it.

[fretbuzz]

Originally Posted by 2WheelFun

workers had recently applied a flammable wood preservative to the exterior of the house. The preservative was also being applied inside the house.


Uhhhmmmm...this would do it.

Isn't flammable and wood preservative an oxymoron?

[2WheelFun]

Originally Posted by nomad16

Isn't flammable and wood preservative an oxymoron?

I would certainly think it's a hot topic now.

[fretbuzz]

Originally Posted by 2WheelFun

I would certainly think it's a hot topic now.

Man, you're on fire today!

[WeBeToyz]

Originally Posted by nomad16

Sad news.

The wife and I were watching The Bee Gees, One Night Only, the other night...

That's sad too!...

[Norm]

Originally Posted by nomad16

Man, you're on fire today!

Cary's smokin hot today!!

[fretbuzz]

Originally Posted by WeBeToyz

That's sad too!...

Hey. It's like riding a motorcycle. If you don't get it, you just don't get it and nothing I can say will help you.

[Tod]

That's too sad. Another piece of history up in smoke.

Maybe it's like the guy said, "The Lord's way of making sure it stayed Johnny's".

Anyone who hasn't seen 'Walk the Line', I'd heartily recommend it.

[metalesp]

Too bad about the house...

I saw Walk The Line and thought it was great...

[2WheelFun]

Originally Posted by nomad16

Man, you're on fire today!

I may be needing some flame retardant myself. Hopefully it won't be flammable.

[2WheelFun]

Originally Posted by Norm

Cary's smokin hot today!!

Lot's of smoke, Norm but I'm not sure about the hot part.

[RichLockyer]

Was this the home featured in Iron Horse, or was that one his birthplace?

[likearock4x4]

Sad news indeed. Sorry to read this.

[metalesp]

Originally Posted by 2WheelFun

I may be needing some flame retardant myself. Hopefully it won't be flammable.

You want some fire retardant?

I can send you some, but it will be dumped on you by an airplane

[fretbuzz]

Originally Posted by metalesp

You want some fire retardant?

I can send you some, but it will be dumped on you by an airplane

That would be worth seeing.