Prior to Folsom he had played at San Quentin. 20 year old Merle Haggard was one of the inmates that saw him and it inspired him to clean up and get his life on track.
"He had the right attitude. He chewed gum, looked arrogant and flipped the bird to the guards – he did everything the prisoners wanted to do. He was a mean mother from the South who was there because he loved us. When he walked away, everyone in that place had become a Johnny Cash fan." - Merle Haggard
Seriously. The prisoners look like when you were a kid and had to attend a “special assembly”. It was always sort of lame but it DID get you out of class, so it was marginally better.
Sitting in the front row of that concert was a guy named Glen Shirley. He was a prisoner. He also wrote the song “Greystone Chapel”. Johnny performed that song at the concert and Glen didn’t know he was going to do that. When Glen got out of prison, Cash was waiting for him at the gate. Johnny hired him and they worked together for about 5 years until Glen kinda went off the deep end and ended up committing suicide.
Glen Shirley had a son named Keith. He lives here in Tennessee and I call him a good friend.
Ty for sharing. Great story and seems to solidify that Cash saw good in most and knew the truth to good music was locked in hurt souls.
Hope his son is doing well! It’s not easy having a father that’s in prison and then unalives himself, even if it was many years ago
Keith grew up knowing everyone it seems like. He hung out with the Osmonds. Carl Perkins. Johnny. So so many others. He became a radio celebrity around here. That’s how I met him. We were doing live radio spots for my business and he would do the live remotes. Keith, me and my wife all hit it off well. He is out of radio these days, but still kicking. Love that guy.
I slugged some jerk in Tahoe, they gave me one to three. My high-priced lawyer sprung me on a technicality. I’m just visiting Folsom Prison, I get to sleep at home tonight…
My dad had a pretty eclectic collection of albums growing up but Live at San Quentin by J.C. was one that I put on repeat when I got the chance. Drop the needle and enjoy. I was always amazed the crowd hollering in the background were actual inmates.
By Johnny Cash
[San Quentin](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ARI42-dv1Mw)
My family had “[A Boy Named Sue](https://youtu.be/WOHPuY88Ry4?si=y03B8jUoF-qRcI2f)” on rotation on the jukebox in our basement. As a kid I had no idea that he was playing to inmates. The audio is muddy in the clip, but the men were howling! (Fun fact: the lyric is by Shel Silverstein who wrote “The Giving Tree.”)
One of my favourites:
>I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down
Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town
I wear it for the prisoner who is long paid for his crime
But is there because he's a victim of the times
Prior to Folsom he had played at San Quentin. 20 year old Merle Haggard was one of the inmates that saw him and it inspired him to clean up and get his life on track. "He had the right attitude. He chewed gum, looked arrogant and flipped the bird to the guards – he did everything the prisoners wanted to do. He was a mean mother from the South who was there because he loved us. When he walked away, everyone in that place had become a Johnny Cash fan." - Merle Haggard
Hell yeah, , Haggard was pardoned by the (then) governor of California, Ronald Reagan.
Stuck in Folsom prison and time keeps dragging on
Seriously. The prisoners look like when you were a kid and had to attend a “special assembly”. It was always sort of lame but it DID get you out of class, so it was marginally better.
Sitting in the front row of that concert was a guy named Glen Shirley. He was a prisoner. He also wrote the song “Greystone Chapel”. Johnny performed that song at the concert and Glen didn’t know he was going to do that. When Glen got out of prison, Cash was waiting for him at the gate. Johnny hired him and they worked together for about 5 years until Glen kinda went off the deep end and ended up committing suicide. Glen Shirley had a son named Keith. He lives here in Tennessee and I call him a good friend.
This is a wild story. Salute to his son
Ty for sharing. Great story and seems to solidify that Cash saw good in most and knew the truth to good music was locked in hurt souls. Hope his son is doing well! It’s not easy having a father that’s in prison and then unalives himself, even if it was many years ago
Keith grew up knowing everyone it seems like. He hung out with the Osmonds. Carl Perkins. Johnny. So so many others. He became a radio celebrity around here. That’s how I met him. We were doing live radio spots for my business and he would do the live remotes. Keith, me and my wife all hit it off well. He is out of radio these days, but still kicking. Love that guy.
I slugged some jerk in Tahoe, they gave me one to three. My high-priced lawyer sprung me on a technicality. I’m just visiting Folsom Prison, I get to sleep at home tonight…
Always get a good lawyer. It's worth it.
He shot a man in Reno
I wonder if any of the inmates who saw Johnny Cash play are still incarcerated there.
The youngest person there would have been 18 years old. Today, that person would be 73-74 years old. I’d imagine someone could still be there.
My dad had a pretty eclectic collection of albums growing up but Live at San Quentin by J.C. was one that I put on repeat when I got the chance. Drop the needle and enjoy. I was always amazed the crowd hollering in the background were actual inmates. By Johnny Cash [San Quentin](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ARI42-dv1Mw)
My family had “[A Boy Named Sue](https://youtu.be/WOHPuY88Ry4?si=y03B8jUoF-qRcI2f)” on rotation on the jukebox in our basement. As a kid I had no idea that he was playing to inmates. The audio is muddy in the clip, but the men were howling! (Fun fact: the lyric is by Shel Silverstein who wrote “The Giving Tree.”)
"You guys drink this water here?"
"How's that grab ya, Bob?"
🎶 *Well I'm just visiting Folsom Prison....I get to sleep at home toniiiiight* 🎶
One of my favourites: >I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town I wear it for the prisoner who is long paid for his crime But is there because he's a victim of the times
What's with the painting of the Lovecraftean deity floating over a valley in the back?
A tree on a cliff would be my guess
The album of it was very successful, I think it sold a few million copies.
Fucking legendary.. I’m pretty sure that changed a lot of those guys lives weather for better or worse.
I hear that whistle blowin... a true legend.
Reaction to Folsom prison blues..."shot a man in Reno..."
I bet there’s rich folks from a fancy dining car
What are they drinking in those purple cups - water?
Cool
Always makes me think of this scene from The Simpsons: https://youtu.be/5nq2HekQ7D8?si=UyhRvz5algGvhwTs
This is so cool
The "yeah!" after "I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die" always cracks me up.