SINGER JOHNNY CASH'S HOUSE BURNS DOWN

Johnny Cash home destroyed

Johnny Cash's longtime lakeside home, a showcase where he wrote much of his famous music and entertained U.S. presidents, music royalty and visiting fans, was destroyed by fire on Tuesday. One firefighter was injured in the blaze, authorities said. Cash and his wife, June Carter Cash, lived in the 13,880-square-foot home from the late 1960s until their deaths in 2003. Barry Gibb, a former member of the Bee Gees, purchased the home in 2006 and had hoped to remodel it and eventually write songs there with his wife. "So many prominent things and prominent people in American history took place in that house everyone from Billy Graham to Bob Dylan went into that house," said singer Marty Stuart, who lives next door and was married to Cash's daughter, Cindy, in the 1980s. Stuart said the man who designed the house, Nashville builder Braxton Dixon, was "the closest thing this part of the country had to Frank Lloyd Wright." When Cash moved there, the road was a quiet country lane that skirts Old Hickory Lake. Kris Kristofferson, then an aspiring songwriter, once landed a helicopter on Cash's lawn to pitch him a song. Roy Orbison was his next-door neighbor for a while. Parts of the landmark video for Cash's song "Hurt" was shot inside the house. "It was a sanctuary and a fortress for him," Stuart said. "There was a lot of writing that took place there." Richard Sterban of the Oak Ridge Boys lives on the same road as Cash. "Maybe it's the good Lord's way to make sure that it was only Johnny's house," Sterban said.

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THE BECKHAMS CAN'T AFFORD HOLLYWOOD

David And Victoria Beckham Cheap?

Victoria and David Beckham's dream US home is too expensive.The couple - who are moving Stateside this summer after soccer star David signed a deal reputedly worth 250 million with the Los Angeles Galaxy -were convinced they had found the perfect property, until they discovered it was on the market for a staggering 40 million. A source told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "They are careful with investments. When you think what David's deal was to move to Los Angeles Galaxy you would think this was a drop in the ocean for them. But they don't want to spend that much on a Hollywood house at the moment."The couple - who celebrated their 10th anniversary last week - believed the exclusive Beverly Hills property would have been a perfect family home.The Liongate residence boasted acres of land, tennis courts, an outdoor swimming pool, movie room and a separate guesthouse. Victoria, 32, reportedly put in an offer for actress Meg Ryan's former Bel Air house earlier this month.The sprawling 20 million property has seven bedrooms, six bathrooms, a games room, private gym, sauna and swimming pool.The former Spice Girl - who has three sons, Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz, with David - was said to be "smitten" with the huge garden, which would give her family a great outdoor space.Victoria recently admitted she was finding it hard to spend so much time away from David house hunting in Los Angeles while he sees out his contract with Spanish soccer club Real Madrid. She said: "I would love to wake up with David every morning and have dinner with him every night. The hardest part of my life is when I'm away from David. Everything else I can cope with."

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