Ana Cristina Cash joins Press Play Radio Conversations for an intimate conversation about her journey as a singer, songwriter, performer, and lifelong music fan. From the country artists who shaped her childhood to her Spanish language recordings and collaborations with some of music’s most respected voices, Ana Cristina reflects on the experiences that continue to influence her artistry.
Growing up, music was deeply woven into Ana Cristina’s life. She remembers being inspired by artists including Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Martina McBride, LeAnn Rimes, Faith Hill, and Shania Twain. One particular song became an important introduction to country music for her, especially through the versions she heard from LeAnn Rimes and Trisha Yearwood.
By the age of 11, Ana Cristina was already performing and competing, with dreams of selling millions of records and reaching number one on the charts. While her definition of success has changed as she has grown older and started a family, her love of performing and songwriting has remained. Today, she views success more through happiness, family, balance, and having people who love and support her.
Bridging Two Languages Through Music
Ana Cristina’s Cuban American background has also played an important role in her musical career. She began recording in Spanish and continues to maintain an audience for her Spanish language music. Her bilingual version of “How Do I Live” gives her the opportunity to connect with both English and Spanish speaking audiences while putting her own perspective on a song she grew up hearing.
She also embraces the idea of blending cultures within music. Her song “Cheap Margaritas” incorporates both English and Spanish, creating what she describes as Spanglish.
Her connection to her heritage extends beyond language. For the music video for “How Do I Live,” Ana Cristina traveled to Asturias in northern Spain, the region where her great grandparents were born. She wanted to incorporate her Spanish heritage into the project and create something that represented a personal connection to her family history.
Honoring the Artists Who Came Before
Ana Cristina also reflects on Selena and the impact the legendary singer had on her childhood. She recalls performing on Univision’s Sábado Gigante, where she was able to pay tribute to Selena. More recently, she performed “Amor Prohibido” at Billy Bob’s in Texas, where the crowd immediately joined in.
While Ana Cristina regularly performs and records covers, she explains why Selena’s music presents a different challenge. She believes Selena perfected her own recordings and feels strongly that listeners should experience those songs through Selena’s original performances. For Ana Cristina, tribute is less about replacing an artist and more about honoring their legacy.
The Stories Behind the Songs
Songwriting is especially meaningful to Ana Cristina when it comes from a real experience. She shares the story behind “On My Radio,” which she recorded with Jamie Johnson of The Grascals. The song came out of a conversation about their mutual friend Bill Cody and his declining health. Rather than trying to write a hit, Ana Cristina and Jamie realized they needed to write something for Bill.
They created a simple demo and Jamie played it for Bill in the hospital. Later, Bill’s family asked them to perform the song at his service. Ana Cristina describes the experience as incredibly difficult but also deeply meaningful, explaining that some songs are simply necessary.
That experience captures Ana Cristina’s approach to songwriting. For her, music is not simply about chasing a successful record. It can be about telling the truth, helping someone through a difficult moment, and creating something that allows people to feel connected.
A Song That Stopped Her in Her Tracks
During Press Play’s SongStory game, Tina asks Ana Cristina what song she would dedicate to the world, specifically asking her to choose something that is not her own. Her answer is Billy Joel’s “Vienna.”
Ana Cristina calls it her favorite song in the world and remembers the first time she heard it. She says the song “stopped me in my tracks” because it felt as though it was speaking directly to her.
She also shares a more personal musical connection when Tina asks what music reminds her of her first love. While Ana Cristina initially struggles to think of an answer, she eventually shares that one of her wedding songs with her husband, John Carter Cash, was “The Nearness of You,” specifically the Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong recording.
Looking Toward What Comes Next
Ana Cristina continues to explore collaboration and harmony in her music. She discusses working with Jamie Johnson and her upcoming project involving Allison Krauss and Marty Stuart. Her love of harmony comes from her childhood experiences with church and choral singing, something she continues to carry into both her own recordings and her work with other vocalists.
At the center of the conversation is an artist who sees music as more than a career. For Ana Cristina Cash, songwriting is about connection, heritage, memory, and real human experiences. Whether she is singing in English or Spanish, honoring an artist who influenced her, collaborating with another vocalist, or writing a song for someone who needs it, her goal remains rooted in creating music that means something.