FEW artists have the musical pedigree of Carlene Carter

The daughter of June Carter Cash and Carl 'Mr Country' Smith, granddaughter of 'Mother' Maybelle Carter, and stepdaughter of Johnny Cash, Carlene comes from the closest thing to country music royalty.

"I play rocking country, with a lot of my heritage infused into that," she tells me.

And while she is a prodigious artist in her own right, with a career stretching over almost four decades, she acknowledges the benefits that come from being a part of the illustrious Carter Family – and the wealth of songs she has inherited.

"I got a lot of information about the family business I wouldn't have gotten if not for being a part of this family," she says.

"I was gifted – no, blessed – with a huge catalogue of songs to sing as well as being encouraged to become a songwriter."

And that encouragement started young, with the young Carlene making her solo debut on Johnny Cash's 1974 album The Junkie and the Juicehead Minus Me.

She refers to 'the man in black' as her "father by soul" and credits her family with teaching her "to play, to sing, to believe, and to dance through this life."

"People say I look like my Momma which is a huge compliment, and they say I sound like her, so I'll take those comparisons all day long," she says.

It is that wealth of songs from the family chest – such as Carter Family classic Gold Watch And Chain, and autobiographical treasure Me And The Wildwood Rose, which form the core of her latest album Carter Girl.

Tomorrow she brings songs from that, and her previous 11 albums, to St Barnabas Church, in Jericho, Oxford. The show follows an extended stint of touring, some of it with Indiana rocker John 'Cougar' Mellencamp.

"I am so excited," she says. "I am looking forward to it!

"I've pretty much been touring since my latest CD came out in April 2014.

"I've played well over 100 shows with John Mellencamp and a lot of good things have developed from that. Now, I am so happy to be bringing my brand of Americana music over to the UK to play."

And how was life on the road with Mellencamp?

"It's been a great opportunity to meet a new audience as a performer," she says.

"He and I have known each other a while and worked on a couple of projects before touring.

"I've played about 120 shows with him and we decided our voices were good together, so we've made a new CD called Sad Clowns and Hillbillies, coming out early next year.

"He wrote some songs, we wrote some together and I wrote some songs, then went in and made a record. I'm looking forward to people hearing what this collaboration sounds like.

"I'm happy as I can be."

And what inspires her music? "Life experiences I've had – and my imagination.

"It's ever-changing. It has to be, or I would have gotten bored by now!"

Of course Carlene is no stranger to these shores. She was previously married to British artist Nick Lowe (of 'I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass' fame) and lived in London.

"We were young and happily in love," she says. "It was a bit wild at times but never a dull moment!"

And she admits to still having a soft spot for the UK.

"It was a place I could spread my creative wings and try anything without being labelled as a certain kind of performer," she says.

Personally, I loved my years in London. I made a life there and was very happy. It always feels like home still.

"It's been along time since I've visited, but the friends I have made are still in my life."

She arrives at a time when country music has never been stronger.

"It's important to keep it country on a purist level then elaborate upon that," she says. "So I'm happy about real country being regarded again."

By 'real', she is ruling out the commercial stuff which still predominates on the other side of the pond.

"It's a machine, always has been!" she says.

"But Real country is about real Life. I have faith in it still that it doesn't lose sight of what makes people feel connected."

So does she see herself as a continuation of the Carter Family sound?

"Yes," she says. "At least I hope so.

"I want to be remembered for the songs I've written, my children and grandchildren and I want the legacy that was entrusted to me be carried on after I am gone."

* Carlene Carter plays St Barnabas Church, Jericho, Oxford tomorrow. Support from Lewis & Leigh. Go to wegottickets.com