Johnny and June

"They don't make love like that anymore

Is that too much to be asking for?

I wanna love like Johnny and June

Rings of fire, burning with you

I wanna walk the line, walk the line

'Til the end of time."
-"Johnny and June"

Heidi Newfield



My cousin and I lived for the days when his parents both got called out on truck runs at the same time.  Normal teenagers would throw a party or invite friends over to go wild.  Us?  We wanted the house to ourselves so we could make music videos and duet.  We'd grab the microphones and rock out like the best of them.  He'd introduce himself, "Hi, I'm Johnny Cash," which obviously made me June Carter Cash. We'd sing "Jackson" and "If I Were a Carpenter" in character until our throats hurt and then sometimes even past that point.  Our parents ran across song videos we'd made one day and all their questions about why we wanted alone time were finally answered.  I'm not much of a singer unfortunately, but there aren't a lot of things in life that makes me happier than belting out a good duet with someone.  That, of course, can only be trumped by listening to a good duet song by someone.

If that right mix of chemistry and vocals can be achieved then sky's the limit when it comes to music making.  It takes a special pair to not only convince the listener of what they are singing, but also to tolerate the changes that comes with being partners instead of flying solo.  I know I've left out a ton of impeccable duets and songs throughout genres and times but here are my favorites (and trust me...even these weren't easy to pick out).

Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash

A love that lasted more than thirty-five years and inspired millions.  Songs have been written about them and a movie have been made about their story of tribulations and triumphs.  Generally when I think of terrific singers June is not the first that comes to mind but what she lacks in vocals she makes up for in sass and humor.  The way Johnny's face lights up when she walks on stage is enough for me to know how much he cared for her and it's evident in every song they sing, no matter what the subject matter is.  They died nearly four months to the day apart and left the world in wonderment of their music and love.

"Jackson"- One of my all time favorite duet songs. Period. It's fun to sing and it's witty.  This song about a couple whose fire has gone out won a Grammy award in 1968

"Long Legged Guitar Pickin' Man"- I love the lyrics and the fact that it's "leg-ged" and not "legged". :)

Johnny: Well I bought you a first class ticket / for a luxury liner cruise
June: I got out in that ocean / looked around and there was you
Johnny: Oh, you big mouthed woman
June: You long-legged guitar pickin' man
Both: Well, we can work this out
Johnny: Uh-huh, yes ma’am, I think we can.

Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn

The pure electricity that flows from the mouths of these two musical geniuses is enough to make me call them my favorite duo in country music.  Recording their first album in 1971, they followed up with a string of hit records and amassed a number of awards to match.  Miss Loretta found her singing soul mate in lifelong friend Conway Twitty.

"After the Fire is Gone"- I just like pronouncing 'fire' as 'far'. :) But really, I love this song; they act out the lyrics beautifully and it was the pair's first #1 hit.

My Loves.

"Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man"- This is the song I sing loudest to in my car.  I sit up straight and sing at the top of my lungs as cars pass and stare at the strange girl in the silver Mustang.  This 1973 duet also became a #1 song for the country bumpkins.

"As Soon as I Hang up the Phone"- Love, love, love the emotion that was put into this song.  The hurt is apparent in their voices as a breakup occurs over the phone.  Loretta and Conway went to the measures of recording this in the studio with Twitty on an actually telephone in another room to get the right sound.  On the first take, Conway slammed down the phone a little too hard for Lynn's taste, who was so into character that she busted out of the recording room and yelled at him for hanging up in such a way.

Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton

"Island in the Stream"- This 1983 melody was voted by CMT as the Best Country Duet of All Time.  I beg to differ, but I believe I am a little partial.

George Jones and Tammy Wynette

With his gruff voice and her sweet one, the two combined and shined on stage and off.  Their songs far exceeded their mere six year marriage and produced three #1 hits.

"Golden Ring"- The classic country song about falling in and out of love and how much meaning the golden wedding bands hold for this couple.

"The Jet Set (We're Not)"- Ohhhh the love, ohhhhh the irony of towns in Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas that share the names of major tourist cities throughout the world...

"By a fountain back in Rome//I fell in love with you
In a small cafe in Athens//You said you loved me too
And it was April in Paris //When I first held you close to me
Rome, Georgia//Athens, Texas
And Paris, Tennessee."

Loretta Lynn and Jack White

A twenty-eight-year-old rock-and-roller and a sixty-nine-year-old country legend got together and produced a little album that won two Grammies...no biggie.



2005 Grammy Awards for Best Country
Album and Best Country Collaboration
With Vocals.  Nominations: 5,  Wins: 2.

"Portland Oregon"- Just one of the dozens Lynn has written based off real life experiences.  With rumors going around about her and friend/guitarist Cal Smith, the two take action and decide if rumors are going to be spread then they are going to be the ones doing it.  After a golf tournament in Portland, Loretta and Cal went into a bar and acted just as close as can be in front of everyone there.  The two left the bar together and acted as though they were heading to the same room, much to the astonishment of Miss Lo's band.    "...Cal went to his room, and I went to mine.  Doo got all that information straight away.  But the part he didn't hear was this: I went to my room laughing to beat the band, then sat down all alone and started writing a song about drinking sloe gin fizz in Portland, Oregon--"Portland, Oregon and sloe gin fizz, if that ain't love, then tell me what is."  I was probably writing that song at the very minute Doo's ears was burning from somebody's phone call." --Loretta Lynn, Still Woman Enough.

Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings

"Good Hearted Woman"- Was a #1 smash for these two outlaws in the year of '76.

"Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to the Cowboys" - This song of warning stayed #1 for four weeks on the chart, earned the pair the 1979 award for Best Country Performance by a Duo...and more importantly,  a spot on my iPod.

Reba McEntire and Linda Davis

"Does He Love You"- Reba and this practically unknown (at the time) cut this single together in 1993 which rose to #1 and won a Grammy, CMA award, and the TNN/Music City News Award.  The sheer power behind the two voices is spine-tingling. Poor Linda Davis...to sound so much like Reba, but to know you'll forever be in the shadow. -sigh-

Patty Loveless and George Jones

"You Don't Seem to Miss Me"- Jones only sings backup vocals and doesn't even appear in the video but for a brief second when a flier for one of his concerts is showed, but that doesn't stop this song from being amazing.  About the realization that the love of her man is slowly dying out, even though hers stands strong. I literally listened to this song so many times I thought my mother was going to kill me.

Bffs.

These people are my favorites and for all the reasons given.  They stood the test of time and fame to produce some aweeeeee-some recordings.  But if there was ever a prime example of a  pair of anti-duet singers it's Porter Wagoner and Dolly.  Law suits, fights, and a friendship down the drain all over a business split, this backwoods Barbie and flashy-suited singer made headlines.  The album Porter & Dolly came out in 1980 when they were no longer speaking and the album cover had to be edited to make it appear that they were together when it's actually two separate photos placed together.  One good thing did come out of their whole debacle, though.  Parton wrote her unforgettable "I Will Always Love You" to former partner Porter and added another tally mark to her list of #1s.  The rest, my dear, is Whitney Houston history.

<3 Kellie