This Day In Rock History: Johnny Cash goes from Music Row to Death Row

This day in rock history: January 13, 1968 - The day the Man in Black himself, Johnny Cash, walked into Folsom Prison and changed everything.

Most people wouldn’t consider a maximum-security prison the ideal concert venue, but Johnny Cash wasn’t most folks. He’d been playing for prisoners for over a decade already, and he felt a connection to these men. He understood their struggles, their regrets, their longing for redemption. He’d even written a little tune called “Folsom Prison Blues” back in the ‘50s that kinda put this whole crazy idea in motion.

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So, on that cold January day, Cash, along with June Carter, Carl Perkins, and the Tennessee Three, rolled up to Folsom Prison, not to serve time, but to serve up some seriously raw, powerful music. And, according to the folks over at History.com, this wasn’t some spur-of-the-moment publicity stunt. Cash had been pushing for it, and he was about to make history.

(Courtesy: Jim Marshall Photography LLC)

The atmosphere inside Folsom that day had to have been electric. Imagine being one of those inmates, your daily routine of monotony shattered by the arrival of a music legend. Cash kicked off the show with, you guessed it, “Folsom Prison Blues,” and the crowd went wild.

He played two shows that day, back to back, pouring his heart and soul into every note. He sang about life, about hardship, about love, and about loss. He sang about their lives. He cracked jokes, he told stories, and he treated those men like human beings, not just convicts. There was no judgement in his setlist, just a shared understanding of the human condition.

Photograph from the Sacramento Union Archives D-350

The result of those two shows? The iconic album “At Folsom Prison,” a live recording that captured the raw energy and emotion of that day. It became a massive hit, revitalizing Cash’s career and cementing his status as a true outlaw of country music.

So, today, on the anniversary of this legendary concert, let’s raise a glass (or maybe a cup of prison coffee) to the Man in Black, and the day he brought a little bit of hope and a whole lot of rock and roll to Folsom Prison.