June Carter Cash, one of half of one of country music’s great royal families, died today of complications from heart surgery. She was 73.

In 1950, the 21-year-old June Carter made her Grand Ole Opry debut. Eleven years later, in 1961, the Carters joined Johnny Cash’s road show; it was Carter who wrote Cash’s #1 hit “Ring of Fire” in 1963, a song she later said was about being in love with him; they were married in 1968, and remained so for the rest of her life. She won a Grammy in 1999 for Best Traditional Folk Album (for Press On). She appeared onstage last month at the CMT 2003 Video Music Awards to accept an award on behalf of Johnny, then ailing with pneumonia. [ CMT coverage]