January 1, 1958: Johnny Cash plays his first ever prison concert at San Quentin.
San Quentin Penitentiary outside of San Francisco, 1958.
WHERE: Wherever they play concerts in a prison.
WHEN: 50 minutes into the concert.
JOHNNY CASH: Thank y’all for having us. Now’s the time where I’ll take any requests y’all might have. Any songs y’all miss from the outside? They don’t have to be mine, if my band and I know ‘em, we’ll play ‘em.
There is a loud reaction from the prisoners.
JOHNNY CASH: You sir, what would you like to hear?
PRISONER 1: Hi Mr. Cash, I’m Bud Lewis. I’m in jail for arson. Can you play “Great Balls of Fire”?
JOHNNY CASH: Sure can, sir. Let me just get a few more suggestions.
PRISONER: I’m Dennis Reed. Doing a few years for taking out my brother’s eyes. Can you play “Beautiful Bown Eyes”?
JOHNNY CASH: Yessir, I guess I can do that.
PRISONER 3: The name’s Richie Rodriguez. I’m here because I kidnapped a kid. Can you play “Look Look, There’s a Kid in My Trunk”?
JOHNNY CASH: Who wrote that one?
PRISONER 3: I think it was Chubby Checker.
PRISONER 4: Yeah definitely Chubby Checker.
JOHNNY CASH: Yeah I guess we could. Y’all don’t have to tell me what y’all are here for, by the way.
PRISONER 5: Name’s Sludge. I pushed a woman into a river.
JOHNNY CASH: Sir, I’m not sure I know any songs about pushing women into rivers.
PRISONER 5: Oh, that’s alright. Do you know “I’m Going to Kill My Cellmate Jerry Tonight”?
JOHNNY CASH: I don’t think so.
PRISONER 6: Hi Mr. Cash, my name’s Jerry! I’m in jail for fraud. Can you play “Hey Sludge, Please Don’t Kill Me, I’ll Do Whatever You Say”?
JOHNNY CASH: What genre is that?
PRISONER 6: I think it’s Motown.
PRISONER 4: Yeah it’s definitely Motown.
PRISONER 7: Hey Johnny, it’s Bill Gunnels over here! I just think you’re the greatest. I’m doing time for kissing random girls in public. Can you play “I Love Being in Prison And Love Everybody Here”?
PRISONER 5: I changed my mind. Can you play “Nevermind, Let’s Kill Bill Gunnels Instead”?
PRISONER 6: Yeah, I second that. And then can you play “Thanks Sludge”?
PRISONER 5: And then play, “This Doesn’t Mean You’re Off the Hook Jerry”.
PRISONER 6: Oh, and then go ahead and play “I Know, I Know, I’m Really Sorry For Walking In On You Going To The Bathroom But It’s A Single Cell And I Can’t Really Control That”?
PRISONER 5: Yeah, then right after that play “Look, I Get What You’re Saying, But I Try My Hardest To Respect Your Privacy, And I Just Wish You Would Respect Mine As Much, And Just Because We’re Cellmates Doesn’t Mean You Have To Be With Me All The Time”.
PRISONER 6: Oh, and Mr. Cash, if you could, right after that song, play “Okay, I’ll Work On That, But I Can’t Work On It If You Kill Me”.
PRISONER 5: I think a good final song would be “I’ll Remember That, And I Think This is Something We Should Discuss Later, But If You Wanted To Help Me Kill Bill Let Me Know”.
PRISONER 6: Oh, and after that, just go ahead and play “I Will Let You Know”.
PRISONER 5: Then play “Good”.
PRISONER 6: And then play, “Yeah, Good”.
PRISONER 7: You guys, I have never heard any of these songs. They sound like a hoot.
PRISONER 5: Yeah Bill, you’d love ‘em!
JOHNNY CASH: You know what? I’m just going to play “Ring of Fire” again.
AND THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED.












