At Folsom Prison is, for me, one of the best records ever made. I recall many a day I came home from school hearing my mother playing this record loudly as she worked around the house, and by the time I was teenager more interested in rock and roll, I had internalized many of the songs, though my life was much different from those in these recounted Cash’s poetic tunes and those in the audience on the fateful day the recording was made.
Mr. Robins takes listeners on his personal journey to learn about the album and the people who made it and the effects of the record’s unlikely (or so it seemed at the time) success on Cash and those around him. In doing so, he focuses a great deal of attention on the story of Glen Shirley, then an inmate at the prison and composer of the closing song.
There are several fascinating narratives here, but two stand out. First, there is the story of Johnny Cash pitching the idea of the record, getting rejected by Columbia (his record company), and deciding to do it anyway. If you have followed any part of Cash’s tumultuous career, with its loveable rebellion, this section may not surprise you, but it is an intriguing, rollicking story.
The second narrative involves Cash’s decision to perform the song “Greystone Chapel” after hearing a demo (recorded illegally and smuggled out of the prison) just the night before. Cash not only sang Glen Shirley’s song during his concert, but also reached out from the stage to shake Shirley’s hand, a gesture which had massive consequences.
Danny Robins hints several times that Cash was responsible, at least in part, to the tragedy which eventually befalls Glen Shirley, essentially by helping the man, who had obvious talent, to earn parole and bring him into the fickle music business with all its pressures and expectations. I take exception to this. Even Robins admits that the circumstances of Cash firing him are not clear. And plenty of space is devoted to Cash’s good works. I know Cash was no saint — any reasonable fan understands that Cash was a damaged and sometimes self-destructive soul — but to suggest that acting gracefully and kindly brought Shirley more misery and took him closer to his death, for me, is short-sighted.
That concern notwithstanding, I think most listeners are going to enjoy this audiobook. The production comes off more like an extended podcast than a book being read, but I believe this will be enjoyable for most people. In addition to his interviews, Robins refers to a number of books and articles on his subject, so it is clear he did his homework. Folsom Untold is entertaining and informative. Weaving delightful tales of struggle, it should make most who enjoy learning about the history of America’s music delighted.
