The inmates at Folsom State Prison near Sacramento, Calif., were familiar with him and his rumble-toned baritone before the troubadour greeted them with “Hello, I’m Johnny Cash.” Due to a recent incident, security was more maximum than usual when the I Walk the Line singer opened a morning concert – an afternoon show would follow – with Folsom Prison Blues, regarding train whistles and an incarcerated killer who had shot a man in Reno “just to watch him die.” The set list included grim songs about prison life (I Got Stripes), gallows humour (25 Minutes to Go) and addiction (Cocaine Blues). Cash himself was sky high: To settle his nerves, he told biographer Robert Hilburn, he had pilled up significantly. A live album from the concerts was a hit, sparking a career revival. Up the line Cash moved, leaving the convicts behind.
All photos © Jim Marshall
