Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison and San Quentin
Johnny Cash had been breaking new ground for a decade whenAt Folsom Prisonsuddenly made the world at large take notice. The interaction of a volatile prison population starved for entertainment and a desperately on-form Johnny Cash was electrifying. His somber machismo finally found a home. The songs, which included every prison song Cash knew ("I Got Stripes," "The Wall," "25 Minutes to Go," "Cocaine Blues," plus his own "Folsom Prison Blues") were tailored to galvanize the crowd. This set is all about atmosphere. Live at the Grand Ole Opry this ain't. The current version has been coupled with its de facto sequel, recorded three years later at San Quentin and nearlyFolsom's match.--Colin Escott