Carlene Carter Talks and Laughs About Being Rebellious

Posted by Ashley Shelley on 03/11/2009
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Carlene Carter Her puzzle pieces that makes up her life  include giving birth to a daughter at age 16, two teen marriages, occurances in jail, a drug addiction that taunted her on and off for decades, and a hard-earned reputation as The First Family of Country Music's resident rebel, is rich songwriting material."I call it all research," the mother of two and grandmother of five says with a laugh on a blog. " . . . I've had a lot of life. That's why I'm tired."At age 53, the free-spirited daughter of legendary singer-songwriter June Carter Cash and her first husband, singer Carl Smith, and a stepdaughter of Johnny Cash has had a whole lot of life. Carter's ninth album, 2008's "Stronger," describes her grief.She says writing "Stronger" was "healing for me. I pretty much sobbed through the writing of it. It's really about Mom and John and that whole year" that just kept punching her in the gut with death and surprise. " . . . I figured out a long time ago, I didn't have to create drama (in my songs); I have plenty. I'm a very emotional person. I'm either laughing or crying."Carter admits that she's done her share of messing up, most notably in her battles with drugs and the law. In 2001, she was arrested in New Mexico after being stopped with Epstein — and 2.9 grams of heroin — in a stolen vehicle. She says she spent four months of 2004 in a Tennessee jail after violating her probation by failing mandatory drug tests.She claims the period in 2002 with her mom and stepdad "saved my life . . . They were the most genuine stars that I ever met."Read more at www.mycentraljersey.com