Seventies and OPAAT

As Cash entered the early Seventies, his sales reached levels only experienced by Rock groups like the Beatles. Attendance records were being set at his performances, yet he was tired of the grind of television. With that, he left the broadcast world and began to again focus his efforts on his recordings. The record "Man in Black" saw John putting new efforts into the message of his music. Other recording highlights of the early part of this decade included "Oney" and "Any Old Wind that Blows".

In 1972, John and June opened the House of Cash Recording and Publishing Company. This facility was located a few minutes from John's Hendersonville home. Formerly a dinner theater, it held offices and a recording studio. Uniquely enough, the recording studio was even equipped with a chandelier. Years later the facility would also hold the Johnny Cash Museum where fans could review many artifacts from John and June's career and even meet Mama Cash.

John recorded his third prison concert when he went to Ostraker Prison in 1972. Though this event was filmed by Granada Television and recorded by CBS, the album was never released in the US. Instead it received airplay in Europe. One single, "Jacob Green and Orleans Parrish Prison" was released to the US market.

In 1974, John and June began to turn their attention to one of their most adventurous projects ever. June had experienced a dream in which she saw John on a mountain top, sending the word out to all that would listen. That dream would evolve into the movie "Gospel Road". Using their own funds, John and June directed and produced a movie about the life of Christ. Music for this event was composed by John, Larry Gatlin, and Kristofferson. The movie was released in 1974 along with a two record sound track. Sadly, this was one of the last ventures of the Statler Brother with John. After years of traveling with the JRC show, the quartet headed out on their own.

In 1975, John completed his first biography. This work, entitled "Man In Black", examined John's childhood, struggles and rise to fame. This autobiography sold 1.3 million copies.

In 1976, John struck paydirt again with "One Piece At a Time". This Wayne Kemp tune detailed the unique attempt of an auto worker trying to get his own Cadillac by smuggling one piece of it at a time out the factory doors in his lunchbox. The end result is a car mixed of parts but held together with pride. Music critics were impressed with the strong background work of the Tennessee Three during this time . Their efforts on the "One Piece At A Time" record captured that special sound that had been started in 1955. The record had also been complemented by the boogie-woogie guitar work of cousin Jerry Hensely.

As 1976 rolled around, John headed back into the television studio. During the summer of 1976, he became involved in a four show series. The show features many Cash standards as it was broadcast from the new home of the Opry in Opryland. The show also featured the comedic talents of a new man on the scene, Steve Martin. One highlight of the show had John in the old Ryman reciting his "Ragged Old Flag" recitation. The heart of Country and America shown brightly during that moment.

During this time, Cash continued to record the more progressive compositions of Dylan, Kristofferson, Rodney Crowell and Nick Lowe. This tendency for the being out on the edge did not come without a price, many country stations didn't whole heartily accept this type of music and began to turn their attention away from the likes of Cash and more towards the smoother sounds of the Pop/country artist of the day.

In 1977 Cash recorded his final concept album for Columbia record. This album was entitled "The Rambler" and depicted the musical journey of a wanderer. Cash had begun this recording of concept albums back in the sixties. Though the album didn't receive that much airplay by Country stations, John's uniqueness continued to shine through. That uniqueness still filled the concert halls.