Vivian Liberto
Encyclopedia
Vivian Dorraine Liberto Cash Distin (April 23, 1934 – May 24, 2005) was an American homemaker
who was the first wife of country
singer-songwriter
Johnny Cash
, and the mother of singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash
.
During their courtship, Cash and Liberto wrote each other over 10,000 pages of love letter
s, forming the basis of her autobiography
, titled I Walked the Line: My Life with Johnny, which was published in 2007
.
, the daughter of Thomas Liberto (February 4, 1905-October 11, 1971) and Irene Robinson (May 10, 1913-April 7, 1979). Her siblings were Raymond Liberto (September 15, 1932-May 23, 2008) and Sylvia Liberto (born December 22, 1936).
Her paternal grandparents were both born in Italy and immigrated
to the U.S., while her maternal grandparents were born in Texas. Her father was an insurance salesman and amateur magician. He performed his magic act at private parties and charity events and was president of the local International Brotherhood of Magicians
. Vivian and her mother often performed as his assistants onstage. Vivian's starring role in his show involved crawling inside a dollhouse as he stuck eight swords into the side of it and she screamed in pretend pain.
That was her first taste of show business life, but the Libertos were not a show business family. Vivian and her sister led very sheltered lives. Her parents were strict and she and her brother and sister were disciplined and ordered. She attended St. Mary's Catholic School for girls, in San Antonio, and wore the required uniform
.
On July 18, 1951, during summer vacation, Vivian, age 17, went to a skating rink
with a girlfriend. There she met 19-year-old Johnny Cash. Cash, who was undergoing Air Force
training in San Antonio, liked her and they began a relationship. As a gesture of his feelings for her, he carved the words, "Johnny Loves Vivian," into a public bench. She said:
Three weeks after they met, the Air Force sent Cash to Germany. During his three year military tour overseas, the couple wrote each other daily, amassing over 10,000 pages of love letters. A lot of the letters he wrote to her were published in I Walked the Line, which was co-written by Ann Sharpsteen.
, when he returned, and she went with them to the airport to get him. His brother, Roy, worked in Memphis, Tennessee
, for Chrysler
, and Cash bought a brand new car there. While she returned home to San Antonio, he went to Memphis, to find a place for them to live when they married.
On August 7, 1954, they were married at St. Anne's Catholic Church, in San Antonio, by her uncle, Father Vincent Liberto. In Memphis, Cash became a door-to-door
home appliance
sales
man working on commission
, which he hated, while studying to be a radio
DJ
. Most of his potential customers could not afford to buy a new refrigerator, washing machine, etc., and a lot of times when he sold something and the buyer's credit was rejected he had to repay the commission he received. The young couple scrimped and lived on Kraft Macaroni & Cheese
; she made her own maternity clothes; and they borrowed money from her father and Cash's employer to get by. She wrote in her book:
About that time, Roy introduced Cash to two mechanics who worked with him at Chrysler named Marshall Grant
and Luther Perkins
. As the three men loved country music and wanted to perform, they quickly became friends and formed a band together. They practiced in Grant's garage while their wives played cards in the kitchen. According to Vivian, they began to sound really good after a while and Cash's ambition to become a DJ faded. They both knew that pounding on doors attempting to sell appliances was not his life. He had to give music a try. Cash and the Tennessee Two, Grant and Perkins, were eventually signed to a recording contract with Sun Records
, where he quickly achieved stardom and wealth.
The couple had four daughters: Rosanne
(born May 24, 1955); Kathleen (born April 16, 1956); Cindy (born July 29, 1958); and Tara (born August 24, 1961).
In 1958, Columbia Records
, a major record label
, offered Cash a $50,000 bonus to sign with them. At the urging of Cash's new West Coast
manager, Stu Carnall, the Cashes left small Sun Records and Memphis behind; they moved to Southern California
four weeks after the birth of their third daughter, Cindy. They bought a spacious house on Hayvenhurst Avenue in Encino
, from Johnny Carson
. Cash's parents also moved to California.
The move marked the start of what Vivian called "a dangerous current" running beneath their lives. Cash began drinking more and taking amphetamine
s. He was constantly on tour and when he was home his behavior was erratic.
, between Ventura
and Ojai
, and so enjoyed spending time in the area that Cash wanted to live there. In the summer of 1961, two weeks after the birth of youngest daughter Tara, the family moved to a 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) ranch. Cash bought his parents a nearby trailer park to run.
Liberto soon found they had more privacy at their home in Encino than at Casitas Springs, as people hearing of Johnny Cash's place would come cruising up their driveway to get a look. She thought the move would put an end to his bad behavior, but it did not.
Their relationship ended soon after the move. Cash was almost always on the road touring and when he was home he was drunk and/or high and his behavior had worsened. During that time, he went out with other women (including June Carter, who he would eventually marry in 1968). Vivian believed that if he had never gotten involved with drugs, they would have had no problems. She decided to file for divorce
to shock him into coming to his senses, but the decision backfired.
In August 1966, she filed for divorce in Ventura, on grounds of extreme cruelty. She charged that Cash had left their home at Casitas Springs June 2, on a business trip and never returned. She asked for alimony and support of their four children. After signing the divorce papers, she said, she still had hope. After filing the papers, she called him on tour and asked if there was any chance for a reconciliation. Cash declined, replying simply, "No, it's too late." The divorce was finalized in late 1966.
, and she and her daughters moved with him to Ventura, where Vivian became an active member of the community.
Vivian Liberto Cash Distin died at age 71 at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura, of complications from surgery
to remove lung cancer
. Her death occurred the day of her oldest daughter Rosanne's 50th birthday. A memorial Mass
was held on May 28, 2005, at Sacred Heart Church, Ventura. She is interred at Ivy Lawn Cemetery, Ventura.
Vivian was once mother-in-law to fellow country singers Marty Stuart
and Rodney Crowell
: eldest daughter Rosanne
was Mrs. Rodney Crowell; third daughter Cindy was Mrs. Marty Stuart.
Her memoir, I Walked the Line: My Life with Johnny, was released in September 2007.
biopic
about Johnny Cash, Walk the Line
, Vivian was portrayed by Ginnifer Goodwin as nagging and hard-riding. Vivian and Johnny's second daughter Kathleen criticized the movie's portrayal as inaccurate and unfair to her mother. It was, however, reported that the film's depiction of her holding back Johnny's career was accurate. Kathy's half-brother John Carter Cash
, Johnny's only child with June Carter and the biopic's executive producer, responded:
Homemaker
Homemaking is a mainly American term for the management of a home, otherwise known as housework, housekeeping or household management...
who was the first wife of country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
, and the mother of singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash
Rosanne Cash
Rosanne Cash is an American singer-songwriter and author. She is the eldest daughter of the late country music singer Johnny Cash and his first wife, Vivian Liberto Cash Distin....
.
During their courtship, Cash and Liberto wrote each other over 10,000 pages of love letter
Love letter
A love letter is a romantic way to express feelings of love in written form. Delivered by hand, by mail or romantically left in a secret location, the letter may be anything from a short and simple message of love to a lengthy explanation of feelings...
s, forming the basis of her autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, titled I Walked the Line: My Life with Johnny, which was published in 2007
2007 in literature
The year 2007 in literature involves some significant new books.-Events:*November 19 - First Kindle e-book reader released.*December 11 - Terry Pratchett informs fans on-line that he has been diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer's disease.-Literature:...
.
Early life
She was born in San Antonio, TexasSan Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, the daughter of Thomas Liberto (February 4, 1905-October 11, 1971) and Irene Robinson (May 10, 1913-April 7, 1979). Her siblings were Raymond Liberto (September 15, 1932-May 23, 2008) and Sylvia Liberto (born December 22, 1936).
Her paternal grandparents were both born in Italy and immigrated
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
to the U.S., while her maternal grandparents were born in Texas. Her father was an insurance salesman and amateur magician. He performed his magic act at private parties and charity events and was president of the local International Brotherhood of Magicians
International Brotherhood of Magicians
International Brotherhood of Magicians is the world's largest organization for professional and amateur magicians, with approximately 15,000 members worldwide. The headquarters is in St...
. Vivian and her mother often performed as his assistants onstage. Vivian's starring role in his show involved crawling inside a dollhouse as he stuck eight swords into the side of it and she screamed in pretend pain.
That was her first taste of show business life, but the Libertos were not a show business family. Vivian and her sister led very sheltered lives. Her parents were strict and she and her brother and sister were disciplined and ordered. She attended St. Mary's Catholic School for girls, in San Antonio, and wore the required uniform
School uniform
A school uniform is an outfit—a set of standardized clothes—worn primarily for an educational institution. They are common in primary and secondary schools in various countries . When used, they form the basis of a school's dress code.Traditionally school uniforms have been largely subdued and...
.
On July 18, 1951, during summer vacation, Vivian, age 17, went to a skating rink
Roller rink
A roller rink is a hard surface used for roller skating or inline skating. This includes roller hockey, speed skating, and recreational skating...
with a girlfriend. There she met 19-year-old Johnny Cash. Cash, who was undergoing Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
training in San Antonio, liked her and they began a relationship. As a gesture of his feelings for her, he carved the words, "Johnny Loves Vivian," into a public bench. She said:
Three weeks after they met, the Air Force sent Cash to Germany. During his three year military tour overseas, the couple wrote each other daily, amassing over 10,000 pages of love letters. A lot of the letters he wrote to her were published in I Walked the Line, which was co-written by Ann Sharpsteen.
Marriage to Cash
Cash was discharged from the Air Force on July 3, 1954. Vivian was with his parents in Dyess, ArkansasDyess, Arkansas
Dyess is a town in Mississippi County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 515 according to the 2000 census. Dyess was founded in 1934. Johnny Cash's biography "Man in Black" describes Dyess as a planned community built as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal program, with...
, when he returned, and she went with them to the airport to get him. His brother, Roy, worked in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, for Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
, and Cash bought a brand new car there. While she returned home to San Antonio, he went to Memphis, to find a place for them to live when they married.
On August 7, 1954, they were married at St. Anne's Catholic Church, in San Antonio, by her uncle, Father Vincent Liberto. In Memphis, Cash became a door-to-door
Door-to-door
Door-to-door is a sales technique in which a salesperson walks from the door of one house to the door of another trying to sell a product or service to the general public. A variant of this involves cold calling first, when another sales representative attempts to gain agreement that a salesperson...
home appliance
Home appliance
Home appliances are electrical/mechanical machines which accomplish some household functions, such as cooking or cleaning. Home appliances can be classified into:*Major appliances, or White goods*Small appliances, or Brown goods...
sales
Sales
A sale is the act of selling a product or service in return for money or other compensation. It is an act of completion of a commercial activity....
man working on commission
Commission (remuneration)
The payment of commission as remuneration for services rendered or products sold is a common way to reward sales people. Payments often will be calculated on the basis of a percentage of the goods sold...
, which he hated, while studying to be a radio
Radio programming
Radio programming is the Broadcast programming of a Radio format or content that is organized for Commercial broadcasting and Public broadcasting radio stations....
DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
. Most of his potential customers could not afford to buy a new refrigerator, washing machine, etc., and a lot of times when he sold something and the buyer's credit was rejected he had to repay the commission he received. The young couple scrimped and lived on Kraft Macaroni & Cheese
Kraft Dinner
Kraft Dinner, known as Kraft Macaroni and Cheese in the United States and Macaroni Cheese in the United Kingdom, is a macaroni and cheese convenience food that requires minimal preparation by the consumer. The original product, a packaged dry macaroni and cheese mix, was introduced in 1937 by the...
; she made her own maternity clothes; and they borrowed money from her father and Cash's employer to get by. She wrote in her book:
About that time, Roy introduced Cash to two mechanics who worked with him at Chrysler named Marshall Grant
Marshall Grant
Marshall Garnett Grant was the upright bassist and electric bassist of singer Johnny Cash's original backing duo, the Tennessee Two, in which Grant and electric guitarist Luther Perkins played. The group became known as The Tennessee Three in 1960, with the addition of drummer W. S. Holland...
and Luther Perkins
Luther Perkins
Luther Monroe Perkins was an American country music guitarist and a member of the Tennessee Three, the backup band for singer Johnny Cash. Perkins was an iconic figure in what would become known as rockabilly music...
. As the three men loved country music and wanted to perform, they quickly became friends and formed a band together. They practiced in Grant's garage while their wives played cards in the kitchen. According to Vivian, they began to sound really good after a while and Cash's ambition to become a DJ faded. They both knew that pounding on doors attempting to sell appliances was not his life. He had to give music a try. Cash and the Tennessee Two, Grant and Perkins, were eventually signed to a recording contract with Sun Records
Sun Records
Sun Records is a record label founded in Memphis, Tennessee, starting operations on March 27, 1952.Founded by Sam Phillips, Sun Records was known for giving notable musicians such as Elvis Presley , Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash...
, where he quickly achieved stardom and wealth.
The couple had four daughters: Rosanne
Rosanne Cash
Rosanne Cash is an American singer-songwriter and author. She is the eldest daughter of the late country music singer Johnny Cash and his first wife, Vivian Liberto Cash Distin....
(born May 24, 1955); Kathleen (born April 16, 1956); Cindy (born July 29, 1958); and Tara (born August 24, 1961).
In 1958, Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, a major record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, offered Cash a $50,000 bonus to sign with them. At the urging of Cash's new West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
manager, Stu Carnall, the Cashes left small Sun Records and Memphis behind; they moved to Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
four weeks after the birth of their third daughter, Cindy. They bought a spacious house on Hayvenhurst Avenue in Encino
Encino, Los Angeles, California
Encino is a hilly district of the city of Los Angeles, California, United States. Specifically, it is located in the central portion of the southern San Fernando Valley and on the north slope of the Santa Monica Mountains...
, from Johnny Carson
Johnny Carson
John William "Johnny" Carson was an American television host and comedian, known as host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson for 30 years . Carson received six Emmy Awards including the Governor Award and a 1985 Peabody Award; he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987...
. Cash's parents also moved to California.
The move marked the start of what Vivian called "a dangerous current" running beneath their lives. Cash began drinking more and taking amphetamine
Amphetamine
Amphetamine or amfetamine is a psychostimulant drug of the phenethylamine class which produces increased wakefulness and focus in association with decreased fatigue and appetite.Brand names of medications that contain, or metabolize into, amphetamine include Adderall, Dexedrine, Dextrostat,...
s. He was constantly on tour and when he was home his behavior was erratic.
Divorce
The Cashes had friends at Casitas Springs, California, near Lake CasitasLake Casitas
Lake Casitas is an artificial lake in the Los Padres National Forest of Ventura County, California, created by the construction of Casitas Dam on Coyote Creek, two miles before it joins the Ventura River. Santa Ana Creek and North Fork Coyote Creek also flow into the lake. The dam was constructed...
, between Ventura
Ventura, California
Ventura is the county seat of Ventura County, California, United States, incorporated in 1866. The population was 106,433 at the 2010 census, up from 100,916 at the 2000 census. Ventura is accessible via U.S...
and Ojai
Ojai, California
Ojai is a city in Ventura County, California, USA. It is situated in the Ojai Valley , surrounded by hills and mountains. The population was 7,461 at the 2010 census, down from 7,862 at the 2000 census.-History:Chumash Indians were the early inhabitants of the valley...
, and so enjoyed spending time in the area that Cash wanted to live there. In the summer of 1961, two weeks after the birth of youngest daughter Tara, the family moved to a 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) ranch. Cash bought his parents a nearby trailer park to run.
Liberto soon found they had more privacy at their home in Encino than at Casitas Springs, as people hearing of Johnny Cash's place would come cruising up their driveway to get a look. She thought the move would put an end to his bad behavior, but it did not.
Their relationship ended soon after the move. Cash was almost always on the road touring and when he was home he was drunk and/or high and his behavior had worsened. During that time, he went out with other women (including June Carter, who he would eventually marry in 1968). Vivian believed that if he had never gotten involved with drugs, they would have had no problems. She decided to file for divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
to shock him into coming to his senses, but the decision backfired.
In August 1966, she filed for divorce in Ventura, on grounds of extreme cruelty. She charged that Cash had left their home at Casitas Springs June 2, on a business trip and never returned. She asked for alimony and support of their four children. After signing the divorce papers, she said, she still had hope. After filing the papers, she called him on tour and asked if there was any chance for a reconciliation. Cash declined, replying simply, "No, it's too late." The divorce was finalized in late 1966.
Later life
On January 11, 1968, Vivian and Ventura police officer Dick Distin were married in Las VegasLas Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, and she and her daughters moved with him to Ventura, where Vivian became an active member of the community.
Vivian Liberto Cash Distin died at age 71 at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura, of complications from surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
to remove lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
. Her death occurred the day of her oldest daughter Rosanne's 50th birthday. A memorial Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
was held on May 28, 2005, at Sacred Heart Church, Ventura. She is interred at Ivy Lawn Cemetery, Ventura.
Vivian was once mother-in-law to fellow country singers Marty Stuart
Marty Stuart
John Martin "Marty" Stuart is an American country music singer-songwriter, known for both his traditional style, and eclectic merging of rockabilly, honky tonk, and traditional country music...
and Rodney Crowell
Rodney Crowell
Rodney Crowell is a Grammy Award-winning musician, known primarily for his work as a singer and songwriter in country music....
: eldest daughter Rosanne
Rosanne Cash
Rosanne Cash is an American singer-songwriter and author. She is the eldest daughter of the late country music singer Johnny Cash and his first wife, Vivian Liberto Cash Distin....
was Mrs. Rodney Crowell; third daughter Cindy was Mrs. Marty Stuart.
Her memoir, I Walked the Line: My Life with Johnny, was released in September 2007.
Fictional portrayals
In the 20052005 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005...
biopic
Biographical film
A biographical film, or biopic , is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or people. They differ from films “based on a true story” or “historical films” in that they attempt to comprehensively tell a person’s life story or at least the most historically important years of their...
about Johnny Cash, Walk the Line
Walk the Line
Walk the Line is a 2005 American biographical drama film directed by James Mangold and based on the early life and career of country music artist Johnny Cash...
, Vivian was portrayed by Ginnifer Goodwin as nagging and hard-riding. Vivian and Johnny's second daughter Kathleen criticized the movie's portrayal as inaccurate and unfair to her mother. It was, however, reported that the film's depiction of her holding back Johnny's career was accurate. Kathy's half-brother John Carter Cash
John Carter Cash
John Carter Cash is an American Country music-singer, author, songwriter and producer. He is the only son of Johnny and June Carter Cash.-Biography:...
, Johnny's only child with June Carter and the biopic's executive producer, responded:
External links
- I Walked the Line Forum
- Vivian Dorraine Liberto Cash Distin at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...