Johnny Cash Live at Folsom Prison Was Country Music Phenomenon

For some unknown reason, music lovers somehow became infatuated with the mystique of life in prison back in 1968. At least it appeared that way with the response to the Merle Haggard song "Mama Tried".

The song was about a man who was locked away behind prison bars serving a life sentence. And the fact that Haggard himself had formerly been in prison, really brought it all to real life.

But nothing more was real life than a country artist going inside the prison walls and performing for the inmates and being able to hear what it sounded like on a live album.

The legendary Johnny Cash did just that in January 1968. The Man in Black did a show one very special night at Folsom Prison in California.

The inmates were treated to something that was a complete phenomenon in country music. Cash went in with his entourage and did the show against the will of his record label and producers.

The live version of "Folsom Prison Blues" shot to the top of the country music charts. The world couldn't get enough of it.

Watch this cool video of the historic event: