Skip to content
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • PodBean
  • Subscribe To My Pal Sammy Newsletter
  • ABOUT
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms

My Summer Lair

Think NPR's Fresh Air meets Kevin Smith: My Summer Lair with host Sammy Younan: interviews & impressions on Pop Culture.

  • Home
  • Podcast
    • My Summer Lair
    • Space Station Oddity
  • Set The VCR
  • New Book Alert
  • True Sammy Stories
  • Toggle search form

247 | Ben Smallbone (Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon)

Posted on December 6, 2022February 21, 2024 By Sammy Younan No Comments on 247 | Ben Smallbone (Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon)

My Summer Lair Chapter #247: Can Your Faith Move Mountains?

He was The Man in Black, a singer/songwriter with that distinct voice who wrote songs about the common man and the downtrodden.

If you don’t know hits like Ring of Fire, I Walk the Line and A Boy Named Sue you certainly know his later American Recordings like The Man Comes Around and extraordinary covers like One and of course Hurt.

He got his start with Sun Records in Memphis, he once was addicted to drugs, he married June Carter, he played for inmates at Folsom Prison and he shot a man in Reno just to watch him die.

You know Johnny Cash.

Ben Smallbone’s Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon is a compelling documentary that traces Johnny’s rough yet steady faith and how it guided his life and electrified his music.

No road to redemption is linear. And grace is messy like a toddler eating spaghetti.

Insights from Cash’s family members like John Carter Cash, his son and his sister Joanne Cash Yates are coupled with Johnny’s own words plucked from over 100 tapes that he recorded for an autobiography that was never published or released. Go to the documentary and you can hear some of that for the first time. Johnny’s own remarkable voice telling much of his life story.

Testifying to that special life story is Sheryl Crow, Tim McGraw, Alice Cooper, John Schneider from Dukes of Hazzard (Bo Duke!!) are in Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon. And more.

Here’s my interview with the director of Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon Ben Smallbone, brother of musical duo for King & Country. Ben’s brothers are Joel and Luke Smallbone, that’s who King & Country are: a Christian pop duo. Think Coldplay meets Hillsong.

Joel and Luke make music and Ben directs and helps make their music videos. Which is where we start this My Summer Lair conversation.

Not talking about The Man in Black but happily talking about another country legend who personifies grace: Dolly Parton.

In theaters December 5, 6, & 7 2022; here’s the trailer:

Johnny Cash: The Redemption @ W • T • F

Host Sammy Younan

Recorded: Tuesday November 29, 2022 at 3:00 pm

Stress free pop culture tastefully harvested for your divine delight. Once a week a carefully curated edition of My Pal Sammy goes directly to your inbox. Sign up for my newsletter so we can have some fun…Walking The Line!

My Summer Lair, Podcast Tags:Ben Smallbone, Directors, Documentaries, Dolly Parton, For King & Country, Johnny Cash, Steve McQueen

Post navigation

Previous Post: 246 | Jeremy Lalonde (Ashgrove)
Next Post: 248 | Kat Jayme (The Grizzlie Truth)

More Related Articles

My Pal Sammy Trailer Podcast
My Pal Sammy (Season 2) | The Umbrella Academy Mariachi Band Podcast
Myles Anderson (Myles From Home) 124 | Myles Anderson (Myles From Home) My Summer Lair
Michael Dobell (Jam3) My Summer Lair 100 100 | Michael Dobell (Jam3) My Summer Lair
BJ Verot (The Return) 176 | BJ Verot (The Return) My Summer Lair
018 | Gary Taxali (Here and Now: The Art of Gary Taxali) My Summer Lair

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • #SetTheVCR: May 12-18, 2025
    by Sammy Younan
    Do you have Heart Eyes for fresh TV Recommendations without all the Overcompensating puns? The puns are here to stay that’s what makes it #SetTheVCR.
  • #SetTheVCR: May 05-11, 2025
    by Sammy Younan
    Even with your Poker Face I can tell you’re seeking TV Recommendations for your Safe House. No worries with this week’s #SetTheVCR I got it in The Black Bag.
  • #SetTheVCR: April 28 – May 04, 2025
    by Sammy Younan
    April showers bring May TV listings: these TV recommendations cover all Four Seasons. It’s #SetTheVCR where I put the On in Conan.
  • #SetTheVCR: April 21-27, 2025
    by Sammy Younan
    TV Recommendations can be Havoc; You need help. Well Babygirl: I got you; it's your TV Companion: #SetTheVCR.
  • #SetTheVCR: April 14-20, 2025
    by Sammy Younan
    I hope you're a light Nightsleeper because the NBA Playoffs start this week. Will a new champion be Minted? Only way to know is to #SetTheVCR.
  • #SetTheVCR: April 07-13, 2025
    by Sammy Younan
    For this week's TV Recommendations we stare into The Abyss and a Black Mirror stares back. Welcome to #SetTheVCR which is about as comfortable and as cool as Morningside.
  • #SetTheVCR: March 31 – April 06, 2025
    by Sammy Younan
    Secrets and Serial Killers pepper this week’s TV Recommendations. A combo like that can only mean it’s #SetTheVCR.
  • #SetTheVCR: March 24-30, 2025
    by Sammy Younan
    You'll wanna Bogart these fantastic TV Recommendations: they go from Holland to MobLand. Of course it's not a Complete Unknown, why yes it's #SetTheVCR.
  • #SetTheVCR: March 17-23, 2025
    by Sammy Younan
    These TV Recommendations will make you don a Happy Face: from magic of David Blaine to the Madness of March. It's #SetTheVCR here for all of Your Tomorrow TV needs.
  • #SetTheVCR: March 10-16, 2025
    by Sammy Younan
    From an Electric State to a Beach party these TV Recommendations will make you a Better Man. It maybe Cold outside but #SetTheVCR is warm and just what you are Kraven.
  • #CouchWorthy: 2025 Key Midseason & Premiere Dates – April 2025March 28, 2025
    #SetTheVCR is your weekly TV Guide by Sammy Younan to help you plan a fantastic TV schedule from must-watch TV shows to fun discoveries.
  • #CouchWorthy: 2025 Key Midseason & Premiere Dates – March 2025February 28, 2025
    #SetTheVCR is your weekly TV Guide by Sammy Younan to help you plan a fantastic TV schedule from must-watch TV shows to fun discoveries.
  • Morning Tea: The Rocky III-Peat…February 9, 2025
    What's popping in popular culture? My Summer Lair host Sammy Younan steeps some seriously serious tea which prompts reflections.
  • #CouchWorthy: 2025 Key Midseason & Premiere Dates – February 2025January 31, 2025
    #SetTheVCR is your weekly TV Guide by Sammy Younan to help you plan a fantastic TV schedule from must-watch TV shows to fun discoveries.
  • #CouchWorthy: Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-ManJanuary 28, 2025
    Following Peter Parker on his way to becoming a hero. Or is is "Peter Parker?" The stand alone vs continuity debate.
  • #CouchWorthy: The Countdown to NBA Saturday Primetime on ABCJanuary 22, 2025
    NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC– the marquee, national NBA game of the week kicks off on January 25 with a classic Tripleheader.

  • Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 1: Gotham Nocturne: Overture
    Under-Review: Detective Comics: Gotham Nocturne: Overture
    by Sammy Younan
    My Summer Lair host Sammy Younan reviews Batman - Detective Comics: Gotham Nocturne: OvertureL Volume 1,
  • New Book Alert: California Bear
    by Sammy Younan
    New Book Alert is just that: A useful Yo for a fresh book. from your pal Sammy. What Are You Reading?
  • New Book Alert: The Music Was Just Getting Good
    by Sammy Younan
    New Book Alert is just that: A useful Yo for a fresh book. from your pal Sammy. What Are You Reading?
  • New Book Alert: The Ascent
    by Sammy Younan
    New Book Alert is just that: A useful Yo for a fresh book. from your pal Sammy. What Are You Reading?
  • New Book Alert: Fantastic Four by Ryan North Volume 2
    by Sammy Younan
    New Book Alert is just that: A useful Yo for a fresh book. from your pal Sammy. What Are You Reading?

Copyright © 2025 My Summer Lair.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme