Harris Center Celebrates 50th Anniversary Of Johnny Cash's Historic Recording In Folsom Prison

It's only fitting that the Harris Center offer tribute to Johnny Cash in 2018 - the 50th anniversary of his legendary recording in Folsom Prison. For the occasion, James Garner and his band honor Johnny's legacy with strong conviction and stunning accuracy, capturing the sound of the Tennessee Three down to the boom-chicka-boom.

Special guests for the evening include Tara Cash, who will share special memories of her father. She had asked Johnny Cash in 1995 to write down his childhood memories, and his gift to her - a handwritten book about his growing up poor in Arkansas - was published in 2014 as Recollections by JR Cash.

Also on hand will be reporter Gene Beley and photographer Dan Poush, both of whom were employed by the Ventura County Star Free Press in 1968. The two men will share their recollections of traveling to Folsom and covering what became an historic concert.

James Garner's Tribute to Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison 50th Anniversary Concert comes to Stage One for two performances: Saturday, January 13, 2018 (50 years to the day of the original concert) at 7:30 pm and Sunday, January 14 at 2 pm. Tickets are $23-$43, Premium $48 with a 50% Discount for Students with ID. They are available online at www.harriscenter.net or from the Harris Center Ticket Office at 916-608-6888 from noon to 6 pm, Monday through Saturday, and two hours before show time. Parking is included in the price of the ticket. The Harris Center is located on the west side of the Folsom Lake College campus in Folsom, CA, facing East Bidwell Street.

Johnny Cash's concert for the inmates of Folsom Prison is well-established history by now. Recorded 50 years ago on January 13, 1968, it was an extraordinary musical event that changed the course of American music. Backed by The Tennessee Three -- Luther Perkins, Marshall Grant, and W.S. Holland -- and joined by June Carter, Carl Perkins and the Statler Brothers, Johnny Cash performed twice at the prison that day. The record At Folsom Prison, with songs from that concert, is a cornerstone of the Johnny Cash legacy.

James Garner's Tribute to Johnny Cash faithfully recreates Cash's biggest hits, accompanied by historical accounts and personal anecdotes about America's beloved singing storyteller. The band's roots in Johnny Cash's legacy run deep. A decade ago, the band took their show to the Folsom State Prison for the 40th anniversary of Cash's infamous live album recorded behind prison walls. For a commemoration of a different nature, Garner and the band participated in an official unveiling of the Johnny Cash Forever Stamp on June 5, 2013.

"I first heard Cash's At Folsom Prison album around 1993, 25 years after its original release," notes Garner. "It was raw, in your face, and real. It didn't have the polish of a studio recording. It was rough around the edges, fortifying its authenticity. It's evident in Cash's introduction to "Greystone Chapel," a song written by Folsom Prison inmate Glen Sherley, which Cash had just heard the night before. 'We hope we do your song justice, Glen. We're gonna do our best,' says Cash. You can hear the sincerity and weight of responsibility in his voice, knowing that he and the band didn't have the song down cold."

Their Harris Center performances will feature songs performed during the concert at Folsom Prison as well as favorites like "I Walk the Line" and "Ring of Fire," and other hits the country giant recorded and performed in a career that spanned six decades.

The band includes:

James Garner - lead vocals, rhythm guitar

Denny Colleret - lead guitar, vocals

Rick Duncan - bass, vocals

Nick Auriemmo - drums

In January 1968, reporter Gene Beley and photographer Dan Poush worked for the Ventura County Star Free Press located outside of Casitas Springs, the small town where Johnny Cash made his home. Reverend Floyd Gressett, a close friend of Johnny Cash, invited the two journalists to travel to Folsom Prison and document the concert. Beley and Poush will join Tara Cash on Stage One to provide the insider's take on the historic performance and the iconic performer who made it so.

This Year Marks Seven Seasons of Great Shows. Up Close. In Folsom!

The Harris Center for the Arts at Folsom Lake College brings the community together to share in cultural experiences featuring the work of artists from throughout the region and around the world. Built and operated by the Los Rios Community College District, the $50 million, state-of-the-art regional performing arts center boasts three intimate venues with outstanding acoustics, an art gallery, a recording studio, elegant teaching spaces, plenty of safe parking and all the other amenities of a world-class performing arts venue. Each year the Center hosts approximately 400 events attracting upwards of 150,000 annually.

EVENT SUMMARY

What: James Garner's Tribute to Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison 50th Anniversary Concert

When: Saturday, January 13, 2018 (50 years to the day of the originalconcert) at 7:30 pm and Sunday, January 14 at 2 pm

Where: Harris Center for the Arts at Folsom Lake College, 10 College Parkway, Folsom, CA 95630

Ticket Price: $23-$43, Premium $48 with a 50% Discount for Students with ID.

Tickets:

www.HarrisCenter.net

Tickets are available online at www.HarrisCenter.net or from the Harris Center Ticket Office at 916-608-6888 from noon to 6 pm, Monday through Saturday, and two hours before show time.

To post a comment, you must register and login.