Johnny Cash Came to Danny Bonaduce’s Defense on the Set of ‘The Partridge Family’

Danny Bonaduce has told a lot of stories over the years, but the one about country icon Johnny Cash standing up for him on the set of The Partridge Family might be the sweetest of them all.

The former child star, 66, shared the memory on the Thursday, May 28, episode of the podcast Pop Culture Retro!, recounting a moment from the show’s 1970 pilot that left a lasting impression.

In that episode, Cash made a surprise cameo at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, stepping onstage to introduce the fictional family band before their big performance. Per the podcast, Bonaduce recalled the scene vividly: “Johnny Cash says, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, the Partridge Family,’ and the curtains open and we’re frozen solid with fear, and finally we get to do it, and we’re playing, “I Think I Love You,” our first and only number one hit.”

Then-costar David Cassidy stopped to correct Bonaduce mid-performance. As Bonaduce recalled on the podcast, Cassidy looked at him and said, “You don’t strum a bass guitar, you pluck it. Do you think you can pluck it, kid?”

But Cash wasn’t having it. “And Johnny Cash walks up on stage, puts a finger to David’s face like this, and he turns to me, I’m 10 years old, and he goes, ‘You’re going to be fine, kid. You’ll get it.’ And walked off.” Bonaduce added, “And that’s my very nice Johnny Cash story that I like very much.”

The Partridge Family followed a widowed mom — played by Shirley Jones — and her musically gifted kids as they toured as a family band. The show debuted on ABC on Sept. 25, 1970, and became a cultural touchstone, turning Bonaduce, Cassidy and Susan Dey into teen idols. Bonaduce played middle child Danny throughout the series’ run.