A new stage musical exploring the enduring love story of two country music legends will tour the UK and Ireland.

The Ballad of Johnny & June takes audiences through the relationship and music of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, featuring hits like I Walk the Line, A Boy Named Sue, Folsom Prison Blues, Hey Porter, and Ring of Fire.

John Carter Cash, their only child, said: "It's like characters are often portrayed in a two-dimensional way, but I wanted to show the more complicated parts of my parents’ nature.

"I wanted to portray the truth and beauty of the simple people that they were and the love they shared.

"It really is something I believe in.

"I think the song choice is neat because the hits are there, but there are also songs that really tell the full arc of my parents’ lives.

"I think it’s a wonderful production."

The musical, which opens on March 2 and runs until September 19, follows Johnny and June’s lives together, including their 35-year marriage and influential musical careers.

John Carter Cash said that persistence was a key lesson from his parents.

He said: "Everybody always asks me what's the most important thing my parents ever taught me.

"Persistence!

"In the face of struggle and hardship you continue on.

"My dad stuck with it, he kept making music.

"My mother June did too."

He also played a vital role in shaping the production, consulting closely with director and co-writer Des McAnuff.

Mr McAnuff told the Los Angeles Times that Mr Cash was clear about his vision.

He said: "We realised that he didn’t want the fairytale, he wanted the truth.

"The truth is so much more interesting than the fairytale."

The script was developed through extensive conversations with John Carter Cash.

He said: "I sat down with Des and Robert [Cary] for numerous hours where they dug deep into my life and my memories, and really looked into my experiences.

"It wasn’t like any other creative process that I’ve ever done.

"They’d heard me relate the story to them so many times that they felt that the man who plays me should be the guide for the entire musical."

As a result, the show includes a character based on Mr Cash, played by Ryan O’Donnell, who acts as narrator and performs the theme song.

He said: "Most of the things you see are tied in with my personal memories, and the way the characters speak is straight out of my mouth."

Mr Cash emphasised that the show is not just about his father.

He said: "This musical is as much about my mom as it as about my dad.

"It shows my mother’s strengths.

"It shows where she faltered.

"But it shows the beauty that they had in their love and their relationship."

The show plays at Wycombe Swan 12 – 16 May 2026.