MARTY STUART SHARES NEW SONG “SIX WHITE HORSES"
WATCH VIDEO HERE
JOHNNY CASH COVER IS THE NINTH SINGLE OFF SONGS I SING IN THE DARK, COLLECTION OF SONGS INCLUDING ORIGINALS AND OLD FAVORITES
Today, Marty Stuart shares his new cover of Tommy Cash’s “Six White Horses” the ninth single off Songs I Sing In The Dark, a collection of songs recorded acoustically at Marty's former home outside of Nashville. Watch the video for “‘Six White Horses” here.
Stuart shares about the song:
December 1, 1969, was a night I’ll never forget. My mother took my sister Jennifer and me to the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson to see the Johnny Cash Show. John R. Cash was about the hottest star on the planet at the time and was on the verge of becoming even hotter. The whole troupe that I knew so well from The Johnny Cash television show were all there in the Magnolia State’s capitol city on that cool winter evening. Everyone in the cast buzzed the crowd when their turn in the spotlight came around. Carl Perkins performed his classics. The Tennessee Three sounded like a glorious old freight train that rattled through the songs with new guitarist Bob Wootton. Mother Maybelle and her girls turned the place into a sanctuary when they sang “You’ve Got to Walk That Lonesome Valley.” June Carter made us laugh. But when it was Tommy Cash’s moment in the show, he stepped up to the microphone and put a spell on the place with his somber new story song that spoke of the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Robert Kennedy. The piece was called “Six White Horses.” Even though I was only eleven years old, I understood his story. The images of those six white horses pulling JFK’s body from the Capitol to Arlington Cemetery touched me deeply back in 1963 when I, along with the rest of the world, watched the procession on our black and white television and then the unthinkable occurred again and again. As a people we gathered around our TVs and watched and cried and cried some more in 1968 after the assassinations of Dr. King and Robert Kennedy. We asked ourselves, how could such a great nation go so wrong?
Looking back, it took a great deal of courage for Tommy Cash to sing “Six White Horses” in that deep South coliseum at that moment in time. Master songwriter Harlan Howard’s often quoted description of country music as being “three chords and the truth” is borne out in the words of the great song. Larry Murray indeed wrote himself a compact and powerful piece of musical literature that subtotaled three tragic events in our nation’s history. Until this day, the song possesses a hypnotic power that transports the listener, as well as the messenger, back in time, all the while serving up a reminder that even though the world has continued to turn in the aftermath of those evil deeds, no amount of time nor rain has ever completely washed away the bloodstains of the three men heralded here in the words of one of country music’s most august documents.
Several tours back, The Fabulous Superlatives and I took on “Six White Horses.” The song quickly became a concert centerpiece. When we catch it right, “Six White Horses” becomes a magic carpet of a song. It’s a sky’s the limit musical adventure. Part history lesson, part current social commentary. Consider the line in the third verse, “Welcome, welcome to our town, I hope nobody tries to gun you down.” Some nights we’ve played the song for four and a half minutes. On some occasions, it’s closer to a ten-minute ride. I never know. The spirit leads the way.
Tommy Cash has my love and respect. He is a good man, a noble ambassador in the Cash dynasty. I thank him for singing “Six White Horses” in Jackson on that night so long ago. The story needed to be told and it still does. Always will. The song is a sad tale. Three verses represent three men’s lives who die in the prime of their lives in the midst of doing what they believed they were called to do. For those of us who were alive during those times, perhaps a little piece of our hearts went away with John, Martin, and Bobby. It still hurts, doesn’t it. I pray that we never have need for a song the likes of “Six White Horses” ever again. Ladies and gentlemen, the famous “Six White Horses” in faded color.
Marty Stuart has been sharing a new song from the album a month, alongside a personal statement about each song’s importance, both personally and in the context of country music. Stuart said of his new collection, “The title tells the story. I have a long line of songs that range from obscure, originals, to old favorites from various musical worlds that I often sing to myself when I’m alone. Until recently, I had never formally made a list of all the titles. When I did, I saw in those titles so many great songs that need to be remembered and passed down. There was a mighty congregation of names of profound songwriters whose presence and lyrics are to be cherished. And, looking into those songs I could hear the music of those brilliant musicians, arrangers, and singers who brought those tunes to life, and gave the world reason to love them. In the wake of these revelations, I was inspired to finally go to work on the idea of Songs I Sing In The Dark.”
Marty Stuart will be on the road in 2021 and 2022. Full tour dates below and tickets are available here.
Ken Burns and Marty Stuart recently launched the Honor Your Hometown campaign to encourage Americans to celebrate their hometowns and reflect on their shared experiences and common values. The Honor Your Hometown campaign kicks off with the release of more than 150 powerful and poignant videos from some of America’s most revered institutions and beloved individuals, such as the late General Colin Powell, sharing personal, touching stories of their hometowns and the role they play in bringing us together as Americans. For more information and links to the inaugural Honor Your Hometown videos, please visit www.honoryourhometown.com.
Recently, The Country Music Association announced the induction of Marty Stuart into the Country Music Hall of Fame’s class of 2020 in the Modern Era Artist category. Stuart is inducted alongside Dean Dillon (Songwriter Category) and Hank Williams Jr. (Veterans Era Artist). “It is the ultimate honor in Country Music,” says Stuart. “I’m so honored to be included in this class and I’m honored to be included alongside Hank Jr. and Dean Dillon. I love those people. To be officially inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame is beyond words. I’m usually not at a loss for words.” Details regarding a formal induction ceremony for Dillon, Stuart and Williams will be released as information is available. Full information about the class of 2020 inductees is available on the CMA site.
Stuart is currently raising funds and awareness for The Marty Stuart Congress of Country Music (MSCCM) in Philadelphia, Mississippi which will celebrate the rich cultural heritage of country music through live musical performance and educational programming. This tribute to the culture and rural ethics of America will be presented in a world-class country music museum and performing arts center. Marty Stuart has assembled a collection that spans over 20,000 pieces to tell a rich, emotional, and personal story of the lives of our common heritage. The $30 million project will create a 50,000+ square foot campus featuring the historic and recently renovated Ellis Theater, a newly constructed museum, classrooms, a community hall, meeting and event space, and a rooftop performance venue. MSCCM will embrace the roots of country music in its educational curriculum and programming. Changing displays will include internationally travelled artifacts and memorabilia, photography, outsider/folk art and Native American crafts. These art forms represent country music’s history and foreshadow its future. Musical programming will feature both legendary stars and the emerging artists of tomorrow.
Marty Stuart is a five-time GRAMMY-winner, platinum recording artist, Lifetime Achievement Award recipient from the Americana Music Association, Grand Ole Opry star, country music archivist, photographer, musician, and songwriter. Since starting out singing gospel as a child, Stuart has spent over four decades celebrating American roots music. His teenage years on tour with bluegrass legend Lester Flatt in the ’70s were followed by six years in Johnny Cash’s band in the ’80s, and a chart-topping tenure as a solo artist in the ’90s.
Marty Stuart Tour Dates
FRI 10 DECEMBER Andrew J. Brady Icon Music Center Cincinnati, OH, US
SAT 11 DECEMBER Andrew J. Brady Icon Music Center Cincinnati, OH, US
FRI 17 DECEMBER Walker Theatre Chattanooga, TN, US
SAT 18 DECEMBER Bijou Theatre Knoxville, TN, US
THU 13 JANUARY Lexington Opera House Lexington, KY, US
FRI 14 JANUARY Robins Theatre Warren, OH, US
SAT 15 JANUARY Gary & Laura Maurer Concert Hall Chicago, IL, US
THU 20 JANUARY Variety Playhouse Atlanta, GA, US
FRI 21 JANUARY The Ramkat Winston-Salem, NC, US
THU 27 JANUARY 9:30 CLUB Washington, DC, US
FRI 28 JANUARY The Flying Monkey Plymouth, NH, US
SAT 29 JANUARY Newton Theatre Newton, NJ, US
SUN 30 JANUARY The Egg Albany, NY, US
THU 10 FEBRUARY Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre New Braunfels, TX, US
FRI 11 FEBRUARY Manship Theatre Baton Rouge, LA, US
FRI 25 MARCH Gateway City Arts Holyoke, MA, US
FRI 26 AUGUST The Long Road Festival Lutterworth, UK
– SUN 28 AUGUST
Marty Stuart on the web:
Official Website – www.martystuart.net
Facebook – www.facebook.com/martystuarthq
Twitter – www.twitter.com/martystuarthq
YouTube – www.youtube.com/martystuartofficial
Instagram- www.instagram.com/martystuart
For more information, please contact Mary Moyer (mary@qprime.com) or Emilio Herce (emilio@qprime.com) at Q Prime 212.302.9790.