Johnny Cash
A Concert Behind Prison Walls
Eagle Eye Media
By Greg Yost
 Johnny
Cash benefited greatly from the time he spent in prison over
the years. Though never an inmate, Cash built a significant portion
of his reputation and mainstream media persona through songs
about prison life and his frequent and much-heralded performances
in places like Folsom and San Quentin. In 1976, Cash and a collection
of other artists headed to the Tennessee State Prison in Nashville
to record a concert special for national television. This concert
special was recently released on DVD and CD under the name A
Concert Behind Prison Walls. While both items feature the
same material, the CD version from the special also includes
two extra songs that were recorded that evening, but did not
make the final television cut.
A Concert Behind Prison Walls captures one of only
two Cash prison performances that were recorded for television,
and though he is credited as the main artist on the DVD, less
than half of the performances are actually from "The Man
in Black." Linda Ronstadt and Roy Clark are also featured
as solo artists throughout the special. The musicians are joined
by onstage by Foster Brooks, a comedian made famous by his drunk
act.
Cash is both the first and the last act of the special, and
judging from the reaction of the inmates during his time in the
spotlight, it is clear that he is the main attraction of the
evening. After the original show introduction concludes, featuring
a montage of photos from around the prison accompanied by an
announcer and some great vintage screen credits, the concert
starts appropriately enough with a rocking version of "Folsom
Prison Blues" that sets the tone for the rest of Cash's
performance. "Jacob Green," a little known gem about
a prison suicide followed Kris Kristofferson's "Sunday Mornin'
Comin' Down" to conclude Cash's first stint onstage.
Cash and his band of supporting musicians are tight throughout
the performance, and the presence of Carl Perkins and his smokin'
guitar work helps the songs reach a plateau that wouldn't be
possible without him.
Following the sugary, pop-country songs of Ronstadt, including
a cover of "Desperado," the incredible multi-instrumental
wizardry and fun of Clark and an abbreviated comedy routine and
song from Brooks, Cash and company take the stage again to bring
the show to a close.
He finishes with standard versions of "Hey Porter"
and "Orange Blossom Special" before entertaining the
crowd with his final song, "A Boy Named Sue." This
humorous tale was a guaranteed crowd-pleaser at Cash's prison
concerts over the years and this one was no exception. All-in-all,
this was a decent performance and it is easy to see how it would
work on TV, but as a Johnny Cash concert it is a bit lackluster.
Living-up to the high expectations and standards set by his
earlier sets from San Quentin and Folsom is a tough task indeed,
but this special is a completely different beast for Cash. His
performance was geared toward the television audience at home
and not the inmates that were there in-person. In-turn, the performance
lacks the connection with the convicts that made Cash's other
prison releases so special.
That being said, A Concert Behind Prison Walls is a
nice DVD/CD package that captures one specific moment in a legendary
career. This performance will never be looked at as a defining
moment for Cash, but it is a nice chance to own a part of his
history a fun evening of music and humor with Cash and
some of his friends.
www.johnnycash.com
Contact Dante Dominick at dominick-at-rockzilla.net
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