10 Photos Telling The Inside Story Of Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison Concert
Carly Tennes
Published
12/20/2024
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Of all the performances that defined Johnny Cash's career — his collab with Louis Armstrong, his live rendition of "I Walk The Line," and his shows at the Grand Ole Opry, where he met his wife, June Carter — none were quite as legendary as his set at Folsom State Prison.
Featuring his iconic song "Folsom Prison Blues" and a whole host of special guests, the energetic set was truly one for the ages, helping bring Cash's music back into the limelight.
From the movie that inspired his fascination with the penitentiary to his show's lasting legacy, here are 10 photos telling the story of Cash's most famous prison concert.
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1. Johnny Cash At Folsom State Prison
Courtesy of you tube on YouTubeThough Johnny Cash may have famously never shot a man in Reno just to watch him die, the country music icon wound up behind bars for a very different reason in 1968 — playing his hits for prisoners at California’s Folsom State Prison. -
2. A Long Road To Jail
Courtesy of Movieposter.comThe notorious jailhouse first appeared on Cash’s radar in the early 1950's, when Cash watched the film 'Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison' during his time in the Air Force. This sparked a seemingly lifelong fascination with the prison, one that pushed him to pen one of his most iconic hits, “Folsom Prison Blues” in 1955. -
3. A Bad Motive
Courtesy of Sun Records“I sat with my pen in my hand, trying to think up the worst reason a person could have for killing another person, and that's what came to mind,” Cash said of the beloved rock song’s famous line, “I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die.” -
4. Jailhouse Rock
Courtesy of Johnny Cash TrailAfter a decade and change of performing “Folsom Prison Blues” — usually as the first song during his live sets — Cash decided to take the song to its namesake penitentiary. -
5. Locking it Down
Courtesy of you tube on YouTubeCash was no stranger to performing for incarcerated people, having hit the stage at several prisons starting in the late ‘50s, but his vision for Folsom State Prison was different. Unlike his past sets, he wanted to record his performance, creating his first live album. -
6. The Recording
Image in Public DomainAfter a few days of rehearsals — and even some encouragement from then-California Governor Ronald Reagan — Cash and co. were ready to take the stage. To make sure they had enough usable material, the artist decided to do two sets of shows, one starting at 9:40 a.m. and a second three hours later. -
7. No Introduction Needed
Courtesy of Johnny Cash TrailAfter a few performances from Carl Perkins and the Statler Brothers, Hugh Cherry headed back onstage to introduce Cash, asking the incarcerated audience to wait until Johnny Cash’s introduction to start cheering, an instruction that would serve as one of the most iconic moments in the country star’s career. -
8. Folsom Prison Blues
Image in Public DomainKicking off the concert with the prison’s namesake song, Cash proceeded to play a roughy 45-minute set, one that would go on to set Cash up for a comeback. “That's where things really got started for me again,” the artist said of the performance. -
9. Reception
Courtesy of bfa426 on RedditCash, according to Life magazine critic Al Aronowitz, played the legendary show like "someone who has grown up believing he is one of the people that these songs are about." -
10. A Lasting Legacy
Courtesy of The BootNearly 56 years later, the performance remains a high point in Cash’s career, being named at number 88 on Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.”
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Johnny Cash At Folsom State Prison
Though Johnny Cash may have famously never shot a man in Reno just to watch him die, the country music icon wound up behind bars for a very different reason in 1968 — playing his hits for prisoners at California’s Folsom State Prison.
Though Johnny Cash may have famously never shot a man in Reno just to watch him die, the country music icon wound up behind bars for a very different reason in 1968 — playing his hits for prisoners at California’s Folsom State Prison.
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