1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:01,920 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class is a production of I 2 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: Heart Radio, Happy New Year, and Welcome to This Day 3 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:11,000 Speaker 1: in History Class, a show that belts out the greatest 4 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 1: hits of history one day at a time. I'm Gay Bluesier, 5 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:19,439 Speaker 1: and today we're talking about the concert that turned Johnny 6 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:23,119 Speaker 1: Cash into a champion of prison reform and set one 7 00:00:23,239 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 1: talented inmate on his own path to country music fame. 8 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:39,479 Speaker 1: The day was January one, ninety nine. Musician Johnny Cash 9 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:42,560 Speaker 1: rang in the new year by performing live at San 10 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:48,599 Speaker 1: Quentin State Prison in California. The maximum security penitentiary just 11 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:52,199 Speaker 1: outside of San Francisco was the second of more than 12 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:56,200 Speaker 1: thirty prisons the singer performed at in his lifetime. The 13 00:00:56,320 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 1: concerts were held at various correctional facilities throughout at least 14 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:04,560 Speaker 1: ten states, sometimes at the direct request of the inmates. 15 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 1: The show's eventually inspired the recording of two live albums, 16 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: Johnny Cash at Fulsome Prison, released in nineteen sixty eight 17 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 1: and Johnny Cash at San Quentin, released in nineteen sixty nine. 18 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:23,360 Speaker 1: Although it wasn't recorded, the New Year's concert at San 19 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:26,760 Speaker 1: Quentin was historic in its own right, not only for 20 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 1: the positive effect it had on Cash's career and public persona, 21 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 1: but also for its impact on another country music legend 22 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 1: who happened to be in the audience that day. Cash 23 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 1: performed at San Quentin for the first time as part 24 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 1: of a seven hour entertainment extravaganza which the prison held 25 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 1: for the inmates on January one of each year. Cash's 26 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:54,760 Speaker 1: performance was the standout of the nineteen fifty nine show, 27 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:59,279 Speaker 1: beating out other popular acts like a women's dance troupe 28 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 1: and a seven in teen piece jazz band. The prison 29 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 1: had its own inmate published paper called the San Quentin News, 30 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 1: and for the January ninth edition, the headline was quote, 31 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:17,119 Speaker 1: gigantic review, Harold's new year, three thousand, San Quentin Men, 32 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:22,799 Speaker 1: cheer stars and Johnny Cash. The singer had never been 33 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 1: imprisoned himself, except for one night at a time whenever 34 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 1: he was arrested for public intoxication. Nonetheless, he felt a 35 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 1: special connection or kinship with those behind bars. As Cash's 36 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: younger brother Tommy later explained, quote, he always identified with 37 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 1: the underdog. He identified with the prisoners because many of 38 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:48,920 Speaker 1: them had served their sentences and had been rehabilitated in 39 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:52,120 Speaker 1: some cases. But we're still kept there. The rest of 40 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 1: their lives. He felt a great empathy with those people. 41 00:02:56,880 --> 00:03:00,760 Speaker 1: As someone who wrestled with alcohol and substance abuse, Cash 42 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 1: empathized with those who had made bad choices or given 43 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 1: in to their own worst impulses. His prison concerts, which 44 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:12,239 Speaker 1: he always performed for free, were a way to offer 45 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:16,239 Speaker 1: comfort and maybe even the hope of finding another better 46 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 1: path for the prisoner's own lives. That turned out to 47 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 1: be the case for at least one of the inmates 48 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 1: at San Quentin that day, the future country music star 49 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:31,800 Speaker 1: Merle Haggard. In nineteen fifty seven, Haggard had been arrested 50 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 1: for burglary at age eighteen. He was sentenced to fifteen 51 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 1: years in prison, but wound up serving a little less 52 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: than three. Cash's performance occurred about halfway through his stint, 53 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 1: and Haggard later cited it as a life changing moment, 54 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 1: one that inspired him to pursue his own career in music. 55 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:54,400 Speaker 1: He got to work as soon as he was released 56 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 1: on parole in nineteen sixty, and eventually he rapped up 57 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 1: thirty eight number one hit on the country charts, including 58 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 1: songs like sing Me Back Home and Okie from Muskogee. 59 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 1: Years later, Haggard reflected on why Cash had been received 60 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:16,839 Speaker 1: so enthusiastically by he and the other inmates. He said, quote, 61 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:22,040 Speaker 1: Johnny Cash had the right attitude. He chewed gum, looked arrogant, 62 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:25,279 Speaker 1: and flipped the bird to the guards. He did everything 63 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:28,599 Speaker 1: the prisoners wanted to do. He was a mean mother 64 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: from the South who was there because he loved us. 65 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:35,599 Speaker 1: When he walked away, everyone in that place had become 66 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:40,560 Speaker 1: a Johnny Cash fan. The two singers reunited in nineteen 67 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 1: sixty nine. On an episode of The Johnny Cash Show 68 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:48,400 Speaker 1: on ABC. The host mentioned that he didn't remember Merle 69 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 1: being part of the concert that day, to which Haggard quipped, well, 70 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 1: I was in the audience. Johnny Cash went on to 71 00:04:56,520 --> 00:05:00,599 Speaker 1: perform dozens more prison concerts, including at least two more 72 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 1: at San Quentin. During each visit, he made time to 73 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 1: get to know the inmates. He would sit down with 74 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 1: them and listen to their stories, what had led them 75 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 1: to be incarcerated, and what they hoped to do when 76 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 1: or if they were released. These stories would later inform 77 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 1: Cash's songwriting, which frequently took the perspective of outlaws and outsiders. 78 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 1: Following his messy public struggle with drug addiction. The prison 79 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:34,360 Speaker 1: concerts and the albums they inspired helped jump start Cash's career, 80 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:38,080 Speaker 1: but it's clear that the cause always meant far more 81 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: to him than money. Providing entertainment and a listening year 82 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 1: was already beyond what most prisoners would expect from a celebrity, 83 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 1: but Cash didn't stop there. The time he spent within 84 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:53,560 Speaker 1: prison walls led him to advocate for the rights of 85 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:58,039 Speaker 1: prisoners and to use his power to push for prison reform. 86 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:00,760 Speaker 1: He donated a portion of the sale from his live 87 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 1: prison albums to reform campaigns, and in nineteen seventy two 88 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:10,920 Speaker 1: he got involved directly by testifying before Congress about prison conditions. 89 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 1: Appearing before the Senate Subcommittee on National Penitentiaries, Cash said quote, 90 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 1: I have seen and heard of things that some of 91 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:23,560 Speaker 1: the concerts that would chill the blood of the average citizen. 92 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:27,280 Speaker 1: But I think possibly the blood of the average citizen 93 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:31,040 Speaker 1: needs to be chilled in order for public apathy and 94 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:35,599 Speaker 1: conviction to come about, because right now we have nineteen 95 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:41,039 Speaker 1: seventy two problems in eighteen seventy two jails. People have 96 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 1: got to care in order for prison reform to come about. 97 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:49,360 Speaker 1: Johnny Cash continued to perform at US prisons until at 98 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:53,200 Speaker 1: least nineteen eighty, and as he grew older, he stayed 99 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:56,280 Speaker 1: in touch with prisoners he had met, and visited some 100 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 1: of the ones who lived near his home in Tennessee. 101 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 1: To the United States, incarceraates more people per capita than 102 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:09,120 Speaker 1: any other developed country in the world. As of one 103 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 1: the number stands at roughly two point three million people 104 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 1: in jail, which breaks down to six hundred and thirty 105 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 1: nine out of every one hundred thousand American citizens. There 106 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 1: have been many victories for the cause of prison reform 107 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 1: since Cash's New Year's concert at San Quentin, but the 108 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 1: rate of incarceration has kept right on growing. Over half 109 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:36,920 Speaker 1: a century later, the need for prison reform remains a 110 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:41,240 Speaker 1: vital issue. That means that, for better or worse, the 111 00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 1: music of Johnny Cash and the stories that inspired it 112 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 1: are just as relevant now as ever. I'm Gabe Lousier 113 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 1: and hopefully you now know a little more about history 114 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 1: today than you did yesterday. If you want to keep 115 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 1: up with the show, you can follow us on Twitter, Facebook, 116 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 1: and Instagram at t d i HC Show, and if 117 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:08,960 Speaker 1: you have any comments or suggestions, you can always send 118 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 1: them my way at this day at i heart media 119 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 1: dot com. Thanks to Chandler Mays for producing the show, 120 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:18,720 Speaker 1: and thanks to you for listening. I'll see you back 121 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 1: here again tomorrow for another day in history class. For 122 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:34,200 Speaker 1: more podcasts for my Heart Radio, visit the i heart 123 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:36,800 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 124 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 1: favorite shows.