I had NO idea Johnny Cash had anything to do with the iconic theme music. Bonanza was one of my favorite TV shows as a kid growing up watching the re-runs in the 70's and 80's:-)
The thing with this old shit is, there was no "autotune" no effects to speak of, no processing. The voice was used as the voice. The screeching and straining of "rock" music came later. There were a whole lot of good singers, Mr. Cash, Nat King Cole, Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and so on, who may have sung some smarmy material but they are good "voice heroes".
When Cash started to get into his groove...Everyone wanted to play like Luther...Keith Richards said it, and sodid Haggard, but his style was so unique and simple no one could copy it Except Bob Wooten...and he said I can't teach it, I've tried it!...
On this day in 1962 {September 4th} Johnny Cash performed "Bonanza!" on the Dick Clark ABC-TV weekday-afternoon program 'American Bandstand'... Five days later on September 9th the song entered Billboard's Top 100 chart for a one week stay at position #94... Three years earlier on September 12th*, 1959 the western series 'Bonanza' debut on the NBC-TV network, it ran until January 16th, 1973 with a grand total of 430 episodes, thus becoming the 2nd longest running TV western series {'Gunsmoke' had 635 episodes}... On May 15th, 1961 Al Caiola's instrumental version of "Bonanza!" peaked at #19 {for 1 week}... * On September 12th, 2003 ''The Man in Black" passed away at the age of 71... May he R.I.P.
WOW!!! "Bonanza", by Johnny Cash, has reached the 800,000 views plateau. Congratulations, Mike Hurt, on this great achievement. I am looking forward to the time when this video clip reaches the 1 million views plateau.
Even this early on, singing/playing a song about a fictional TV ranch family, Johnny Cash had the sexiest stage presence around. We're all so blessed he ultimately opted for a career in music/entertainment instead of sharecropping, door-to-door sales or auto assembly. That said, I certainly would not have complained, or blocked his path, for that matter, if he knocked on my door claiming to be the Fuller Brush Man!
R.I.P. Johnny and June Cash ! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Z5pAGvph8aw.html *RED RIVER VALLEY* Guitar Solo Version in the style of *Johnny Cash*
Congratulations, Mike Hurt, for "Bonanza", by Johnny Cash, reaching the 1 MILLION VIEWS plateau. It is an achievement for which you should be very proud.
Very few songs get more "Americana" than this one. Thanks, Cortexmelon, for sharing this Johnny Cash performance from the "Grand Ole Opry" with the viewers here at RU-vid. :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)
@feelytouchy67 My mistake - Hugh Cherry was the MC on "Folsom Prison", not Johnny Western. But Western performed with Cash regularly from 1959 through 1966, and toured with him throughout the rest of Cash's career. He was a part of Cash's last touring show in 1997. Western (who is still active in retirement) appeared on "Have Gun" in several episodes. He wrote The Ballad of Palladin in appreciation to Boone for giving him the roles, and Boone decided to use it as a closing theme.
I've watched Bonanza a time or two and I'm familiar with the theme song. What I didn't know is one of my favorite vocalists was behind the song. Awesome.
The original lyrics were written by two songwriters, and recorded by Lorne Greene. Johnny Cash's lyrics are totally and completely different, as they were written from a fan's perspective.
@feelytouchy67 You're right, you had no idea be cause he didn't write it (at least, not the TV version). Jay Livingston and Ray Evans wrote it in 1959, with lyrics, although after the first TV season, it was heard only instrumentally. Cash and Johnny Western co-wrote this set of lyrics in 1962, and the song was released on the Ring of Fire LP. The theme to "The Rebel" was written by Richard Markowitz and Andrew Fenady. Cash performed it for the TV series and later recorded it.
The theme (in its original form) was written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans, orchestrated by David Rose, and arranged by Billy May for the television series.
@moproducer, thanks for that info! :) Cash was a great song-writer and singer, but I wondered a little about him writing either of those themes, figuring that if he had it would have been at least "more-commonly known" or whatever - than it is. But of course, it isn't, since he didn't author them, as you point out! Thanks again. I always like finding out more historical details!
