Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison, 1968.

A prison audience is the most exciting in the world. The men are with you, feeding you every second, maybe because they need you so bad…I gave them a stiff shot of realism, singing about the things they talk about, the outside, shooting, escaping, girlfriends, and coming to the end. They knew it was for them. Just them and me.  I kept thinking I could have been down there listening with the prisoners. Only been in jail twice, and just overnight, but you don’t need much to see what it’s like. Both times it was for pills, dexedrine. Second time I woke up in a Georgia jail not knowing how I got there. Could’ve ended up on a chain gang, but the jailer was a fan of mine and he let me go.  —Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison, photographed by Jim Marshall, 1968.

Johnny Cash candid during a rehearsal before his show at Folsom Prison.  Photographer Jim Marshall recalls the origins of what he believed was “probably the most ripped off photograph in the history of the world. […] I said ‘John, let’s do a shot for the warden.’” Apparently, that’s all the prompting Cash needed to look straight into Marshall’s lens and flip him the bird.

Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison, 1968

Johnny Cash and June Carter behind the scenes at his Folsom Prison Concert, 1968.

Their love was just so akdjkjdkajkdjkjd beautiful

Johnny Cash — Live at Folsom 1968

Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison, 1968