SHOW BIZ KIDS: Cash Money

One aspect of rock genealogy we haven't gotten into: is descending from greatness a blessing or a curse? I suppose it depends on the talent, temperament, and media savvy of all involved. Springing from the loins of legends does not entitle anyone to stardom, but it does assist it, and acknowledging the leg up you've been given is key to levelheaded second-generation success. One artist who wields her big last name with humility is Rosanne Cash.

Rosanne is the daughter of, well, you know, and his first wife Vivien Liberto. For narrative purposes, Vivien was the dream-doubting shrew of Walk the Line, a portrayal Rosanne rejects as oversimplified. (The film's credits misspelled Rosanne's name, too.) I would argue the film simply shows Vivien as the long-suffering wife of a rotten husband, but Rosanne has a point. Vivien's mothering skills must have been considerable, since Rosanne Cash emerged as not just a major artist, but a thoughtful human being.

Is it possible for someone to have a handful of top 40 hits, plus a Grammy, and still be underrated? Rosanne Cash's '80s hits are largely forgotten today, not because they deserve obscurity but because the disgraceful condition of country radio. 25 years ago, Cash helped pioneer a new strain of country music. Edgy, soulful and intelligent, it appealed to pop and rock fans but held on to the poignant storytelling of classic country. This is mainly what you hear on country radio today, but significantly watered down by lesser talents like Kenny Chesney and Big and Rich, who think self-parody equals wit and relatability equals emotional depth. There just isn't room for Rosanne's music, and that of contemporaries Lucinda Williams and John Hiatt, when Carrie Underwood's latest is fresh from the factory.

Cash's songwriting did not disappoint her dad. "Seven Year Ache" and "Black Cadillac" are real without being hokey, with melodies that linger but don't impose themselves. She's also done fine work with the songs of others, like Tom Petty ("Never Be You") and even the old man ("Tennessee Flat-Top Box").

I have to mention Rosanne's stepmother, the great June Carter Cash, also the child of famous musicians. The Carter family were country royalty long before Johnny Cash married his way in, and eons before Rosanne kept the tradition alive. Rosanne's half-brother, John Carter Cash, is a successful producer. So, to answer the question I posed in the beginning: yes, Rosanne's Cash's lineage has been an advantage. But unlike, say, Julian Lennon, she didn't need it.

TODAY'S RECOMMENDATION: "Dreams Are Not My Home" by Rosanne Cash
AVAILABLE ON: Black Cadillac; iTunes