January 1st 1959 depsite strict warnings from the record companies
Johnny Cash,June Carter,The Tennessee Three,The Statler Brothers and Sonny James brought their show to San Quentin Penitentary and unknowingly created one of the most sought after recordings in country music history,short of Buck Owens at Carnegie Hall.

According to the record company his “catering to rapists,murderers and thieves” would not be tolerated or recognized.
Johnny was easily identified as the common man’s man,and felt that this feat would create the largest media frenzy ever….he was right.
NOT ONLY did this create a historical event it began another career of another great legend,as a young man named Merle Haggard was in the front row.And shortly afterwards thanks to then governor Ronald Reagan Merle Haggard was fully pardoned and released from prison to record 75 albums for various companies.

Johnny Cash left us shortly after June Carter Cash did, however the
Cash/Carter family name is as hallowed as Williams,Morgan,Tillis,or any of the parent-child-grandchild names in country music today.