Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Store

Half a decade after his variety show on ABC ended, Johnny Cash began hosting an annual Christmas special for CBS, bringing a down-home (and frequently more reverent) element to the body of holiday specials made popular by the likes of Andy Williams and Bing Crosby.

For this first installment, Johnny takes the viewer to the Cash family farm in Bon Aqua, Tennessee, and for a visit to his home in Hendersonville, outside Nashville.  His first guest, Tony Orlando, reminds us that yes, this was 1976.  While it is somewhat surreal to witness the Man in Black join in the singing of “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree,” one quickly realizes he could sing it with a pink flower in his hair and no one would question his virility.

Other guests include Merle Travis, who demonstrates the guitar style named for him; Barbara Mandrell, who shows off her skills on the steel guitar; Roy Clark; members of the Carter and Cash families; and Billy Graham, who delivers a warm fireside reading of the Christmas story.

Songs include:

1. Wandering-Johnny Cash
2. Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree-Tony Orlando, Johnny Cash, & June Carter Cash
3. Christmas As I Knew It-Johnny Cash
4. Far Away Places-Johnny Cash & Roy Clark
5. Juke Box Saturday Night-Roy Clark
6. That Lucky Old Sun-Johnny Cash
7. The Christmas Song-Roy Clark
8. Stephen Foster Medley-
   
   1. Camptown Races-Johnny Cash, Roy Clark & Tony Orlando;    
      
   2. Beautiful Dreamer-Roy Clark;    
      
   3. Old Folks At Home-Johnny Cash; 
      
   4. Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair-Tony Orlando;    
      
   5. Oh! Susanna-Johnny Cash, Roy Clark, and Tony Orlando
9. Follow Me-June Carter Cash
10. Cannonball Rag-Merle Travis
11. That Christmasy Feeling-Tommy Cash
12. In The Pines-Carter Family
13. Steel Guitar Rag-Barbara Mandrell
14. It’s A Beautiful Morning With You-Barbara Mandrell
15. Old Time Feeling-Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash
16. A Story Of Christmas-Billy Graham