At Folsom Prison / At San Quentin

good value, live recording not high quality sound

On January 13th 1968 Johnny Cash and his roadshow played at Folsom Prison for the fourth time. Although they had been playing at prisons for around a decade, this was the first Johnny Cash concert that his record company had recorded with a view to releasing a live album. Cash had been hassling his record company for six years until they relented and he was vindicated when the single "Folsom Prison Blues" lifted from the LP released that same year was a top ten hit and the album became his best selling record thus far. He had no trouble convincing the suits that he should follow this up with another live prison recording and his San Quentin gig recorded on February 24th 1969 was duly released that year. This went on to sell even more than the Folsom LP - helped, no doubt, by the included hit single "A Boy Named Sue". This all happened eight years before punk rock, so Cash's mainstream success with these records is surprising because this was (is) raw stuff. Personally, I mostly prefer the live versions on these albums rather than the studio recorded versions. They appeal to the ageing punk rocker in me and Cash seems to relish the freedom from the corporate recording machine and it's insistence on adding cheesy backings to his songs. The recording quality on both albums is as good as you can expect and the occasional fluffed lyric and in-between song banter only adds to the live experience. The Folsom set even has a couple of announcements made over the Tannoy letting some inmates know that they have visitors waiting! (Someone's wife had unfortunate timing - imagine: "Honey, you're making me miss an historic gig, here!"). The songs don't cover every aspect of Cash's career up to 1968/69 because he tailored his prison sets to that environment, but there are some great versions of old favourites, some spiritual songs and even some comic stuff.What you get here is the two expanded CDs from 1999 and 2000 respectively, in their proper jewel cases and both held together in a cardboard slipcase. This is good - both LPs wouldn't fit onto a single CD anyway, but with all the extra tracks that weren't on the original LPs you've got nearly two hours' music at a fantastic price. Each CD has a booklet that includes the original artwork plus extra photos and new liner notes from Steve Earle (Folsom) and Merle Haggard & June Carter Cash (San Quentin) but no lyrics. On Folsom, the songs aren't sequenced in the concert's original order but thankfully the crowd haven't been faded in and out, so you still get the feeling of hearing a live, uninterrupted concert. The San Quentin CD says it's the complete show and the sequencing seems more realistic. Inevitably the two albums get compared with each other - I play Folsom slightly more than San Quentin if only for superior versions of "I Still Miss Someone" and a rattling take on "Jackson" with June Carter's vocals showing an enthusiasm mixed with nerves. Tough crowd - I'm not sure about Cash's motives, playing to these murderers (and worse). There's a mention in the liner notes of giving hope to the hopeless and redemption to the sinners. You may feel that an orphanage would be more deserving of a free concert given by a big country star... but then you wouldn't get the same rowdy reception that electrifies these recordings. Never mind a ring of fire, Cash and his band must have had balls of steel to play to these crowds.Johnny Cash commanded a lot of respect from the inmates - I can't think of anyone else who could successfully play gigs in maximum security jails during the turbulent late sixties (Elvis? The Rolling Stones?) and look like they mean it. As much as the prisoners respected Cash, you can still feel the tension. When Cash sings "I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die" a massive cheer goes up. That'll be their idea of a good time, then. Gulp. The fact that you can hear Cash touch these men with just his voice and guitar on "Send A Picture Of Mother", his voice almost breaking at the end, or get the crowd stomping their blues away for just a few minutes of "San Quentin" makes you realise what a special talent Cash had - the ability to communicate. You don't need to be a country music fan to enjoy this, but if you're looking for an introduction to Johnny Cash I'd say start with the 4CD "The Legend" box set which is a bargain from Amazon. If you want to experience the real deal as fictionalised in the excellent 2006 movie "Walk The Line", then "At Folsom Prison / At San Quentin" is the one for you and at this price (at almost any price) this is a must-have package.

Like many I bought this after watching Walk the Line, and listening to the Man in Black.The Folsom prison CD is full of banter and enthusiastic reception by the inmates.I really enjoyed this

In 1968 and then in 1969 Cash played concerts at two legendary tough prisons and had some of the hardest men in America eating out of his hand and showing his heart on his sleeve (excuse the use of cliche).With an enormous repertoire at his fingertips, there is a great emphasis on crime, punishment and imprisonment. This could have been dark and grim and sometimes it is but there is as much light as there is shade and Cash makes his audience laugh as much as he rouses them. It's a masterclass in audience control as he has these hundreds of hard hard men exactly where he wants them. On the second album his song San Quentin is a searing angry masterpiece which goes down so well he sings it again straight afterwards. These are his people he's playing and singing for, the working class and dispossessed of America and they know it and respond accordingly. If they are his people, he is their voice.Extra tracks aside, this is an excellent box set. Each 20+ page booklet includes new material written by Cash as well as others and plenty of photographs. Only one caveat: I can't listen to one after the other because it's too much of a good thing. That apart this is a magnificent piece of work.

Good, enjoyable cd.

Like many I discovered Johnny Cash properly following the excellant "Walk The Line" movie although I was aware of his contribtiution in the those early pioneering days at Sun. This prompted me to get the "Legend of Johnny Cash" album that came out shortly afterwards.These two concerts are excellant. San Quentin is the best one as this as this feels more familiar of the two and Folsom has a more specialised American Country feel to it.For those like me who may only have seen the film and bough the "Legend" CD afterwards this combined CD set is highly recommended and worthy of it's historical standing.**A few months on after listening to these concerts a good few times all I can add is that the more I listen the better they get. I've now upgraded my initial rating from 4* to 5* and can't imagine how I could have rated this less than 5* in the first place!

I have both these albums on vinyl but had so many clicks and pops when I tried to "rip" them to a digital format, I decided to just buy the CDs. The fact that the 2 came in one package at a sensible price was a definite bonus. Also there are additional tracks on the CDs missing from the vinyl versions so a double bonus! Like others have said, the background noise and announcements only add to the atmosphere. I'm not big on live performances generally as often the poor sound balancing gives too much emphasis to the audience drowning out the performer's vocals - not so with these 2 historic recordings. A must for any C&W fans.

A great space saver, plus a couple of Bonus tracks which were left out of the original two separate albums. Both are still electrifying. The price is decent too. Surely a 'must' in anybody's collection as this is true ground breaking stuff from Johnny and his touring support musicians at their peak!