Ryman Auditorium celebrates Johnny Cash and June Carter's 65th anniversary with a new exhibit

Backstage at the Ryman Auditorium, a young Johnny Cash prepared for his debut on the Grand Ole Opry. The man who, in the years that followed, become known as the "Man in Black," sported a black suit. His celebrity was on the rise. It was July 7, 1956, a time some call the Golden Era of country music.

June Carter was tuning her guitar, getting ready to take the stage, when Cash bumped into her. 

Maybe with prophetic ability – but more likely a stunned nervousness after seeing the voice he had long heard on the radio – Cash blurted out a sentence that would 12 years later become true. 

“I’m going to marry you one day,” Cash said. 

In celebration of the 65th anniversary of when the iconic couple made their first exchange at the mother church of country music, four pieces from The Johnny Cash Museum are being loaned to the Ryman Auditorium. 

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

For Ryman General Manager Gary Levy, the partnership is obvious.

“There's no bigger name in the history of country music probably than Johnny Cash,” Levy said. “And there's no bigger venue with an importance to country music than the Ryman Auditorium. So, you know, on the 65th anniversary let's bring the two back around.” 

Levy sees the exhibit as a way to revisit a time when the two musicians were together at the Ryman.

“There are all of these songs that have been written in country music really highlighting love stories and this is probably the most famous love story in country music right here,” Levy said. 

More:50 years later, 'At Folsom Prison' is still the definitive Johnny Cash album

Both Cash and Carter were married when they first met, but they’d later develop a professional relationship when he invited Carter to be a part of "The Johnny Cash Show." The two would share a dozen years and many miles on tour before they were married until death did them part. 

Starting July 7, the auditorium will house outfits both Cash and Carter wore at the Ryman, a Mario Cuevas suit and a long cream dress with a lace, gold-collared blouse. The collection will also include an Oscar Schmidt autoharp that belonged to Carter’s mother, Maybelle, and Cash's handwritten lyrics to “Flesh and Blood,” written on the back of a Hendersonville Jr. High newsletter. 

These items have been collected and safeguarded by Bill Miller, founder of the Johnny Cash Museum.

Miller was not only a longtime fan of Cash, but a close friend. 

The outlaw persona Cash had, as a musician who struggled with drug addiction and had plenty of run-ins with law enforcement, differed from the relationship he and Miller shared. It was mostly ordinary. They walked around Fashion Island in Newport Beach and waited in line to see "Pale Rider" at the mall's movie theatre. 

“Despite this incredible aura, John could just put people at ease,” Miller said. “You know, when they went through the initial shock of meeting him.” 

The two used to trade, Miller said. He enjoyed collecting and Cash was interested in American history. One trade deal, for instance: Ten letters by Abraham Lincoln for one Johnny Cash-used guitar. 

Slowly and surely, Miller’s collection of memorabilia grew. He’d outspend any bidder on eBay and alleviate relatives' burden of caring for the priceless pieces. It wasn’t until libraries began to approach him did he realize he had a world-class collection. 

“I had no idea of the breadth and scope because it wasn't cataloged, it wasn't written down, it was just, ‘Okay, here's this guitar put in the closet, here's this, that, put it in the closet,’” Miller said.

Eight years ago, Miller realized Nashville, the global epicenter of country music, didn’t have a proper tribute for his late friend. After fires and museum closings, all that remained were Cash and Carter’s gravesites. 

“Nobody really cared about him in this town, certainly not from a standpoint of having a physical presence,” Miller said. 

So he packed up his home and his artifacts in California, and headed to Tennessee to open The Johnny Cash Museum. 

Johnny Cash:Farewell to the Man in Black, 16 years later

Visitors to the Ryman will be able to see the pieces on display if they purchase any tour of the auditorium, or if they purchase a bundle ticket for $40 that allows entry into both the Ryman and The Johnny Cash Museum. 

This is the Ryman’s first time doing a pop-up exhibit, so there’s no ironclad date of when they’ll return to Miller’s museum. 

For tickets for the Ryman Auditorium, visit ryman.com or call 615-889-3060.

Reach Arcelia at amartin1@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @arcelitamartin.