Johnny Cash's Bitter Tears

Based on Antonino D'Ambrosio's book “A Heartbeat and a Guitar: Johnny Cash and the Making of Bitter Tears,” the film tells the story behind Cash's lost Native American-themed concept album and his unique collaboration with folk artist Peter Lafarge. With the still largely unknown recording, Cash placed himself in the middle of the fervent social upheavals gripping the nation in the mid-1960s; facing censorship and an angry backlash from radio stations, DJs and fans for speaking out on behalf of Native people, Cash decided to fight back.

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Photo still of Rosanne Cash from Antonino D'Ambrosio's film “Johnny Cash's Bitter Tears.”

Courtesy of Antonino D'Ambrosio

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Photo still of Steve Earle from Antonino D'Ambrosio's film “Johnny Cash's Bitter Tears.”

Courtesy of Antonino D'Ambrosio

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Photo still of Bill Miller from Antonino D'Ambrosio's film “Johnny Cash's Bitter Tears.”

Courtesy of Antonino D'Ambrosio

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Photo still of Dave Rawlings from Antonino D'Ambrosio's film “Johnny Cash's Bitter Tears.”

Courtesy of Antonino D'Ambrosio

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Photo still of Nancy and Norman Blake from Antonino D'Ambrosio's film “Johnny Cash's Bitter Tears.”

Courtesy of Antonino D'Ambrosio

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Photo still of Nancy Blake and Emmylou Harris from Antonino D'Ambrosio's film “Johnny Cash's Bitter Tears.”

Courtesy of Antonino D'Ambrosio

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Photo still of The Milk Carton Kids and Emmylou Harris from Antonino D'Ambrosio's film “Johnny Cash's Bitter Tears.”

Courtesy of Antonino D'Ambrosio

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Photo still of The Milk Carton Kids from Antonino D'Ambrosio's film “Johnny Cash's Bitter Tears.”

Courtesy of Antonino D'Ambrosio

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Photo still of Gillian Welch from Antonino D'Ambrosio's film “Johnny Cash's Bitter Tears.”

Courtesy of Antonino D'Ambrosio

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Photo still of Rhiannon Giddens from Antonino D'Ambrosio's film “Johnny Cash's Bitter Tears.”

Courtesy of Antonino D'Ambrosio

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Photo still of Jay Bellerose from Antonino D'Ambrosio's film “Johnny Cash's Bitter Tears.”

Courtesy of Antonino D'Ambrosio

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Photo still of Dennis Crouch from Antonino D'Ambrosio's film “Johnny Cash's Bitter Tears.”

Courtesy of Antonino D'Ambrosio

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Photo still of Patrick Warren from Antonino D'Ambrosio's film “Johnny Cash's Bitter Tears.”

Courtesy of Antonino D'Ambrosio

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Photo still from Antonino D'Ambrosio's film "Johnny Cash's Bitter Tears" featuring Norman Blake, Dave Rawlings and Gillian Welch.

Courtesy of Antonino D'Ambrosio

The film also chronicles the reimagining of Cash's highly controversial 1964 record on its 50th anniversary, as recorded at Nashville's historic Sound Emporium Studios by such artists as Kris Kristofferson, Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, Norman Blake, Nancy Blake, Rhiannon Giddens, Gillian Welch, Dave Rawlings, and The Milk Carton Kids, working with album producer Joe Henry and legendary studio musicians Dennis Crouch, Patrick Warren and Jay Bellerose.

This program was produced by La Lutta NMC and Sony Masterworks and is presented by Nashville Public Television.

The book, "A Heartbeat and a Guitar: Johnny Cash and the Making of Bitter Tears" is on Facebook, and you can read an excerpt from the book online.