Folsom State Prison (FSP) is a California State Prison located in the city of Folsom, California, U.S., approximately 20 mi (30 km) northeast of the state capital of Sacramento. It is one of 33 prisons operated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Opened in 1880, Folsom Prison is the second-oldest prison in the state, after San Quentin, and was the first in the United States to have electricity. Folsom was also one of the first maximum security prisons, and as such witnessed the execution of 93 condemned prisoners over a 42-year period.
Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison
Folsom is probably best known in popular culture for concerts performed at the facility by musician Johnny Cash. Cash performed there on January 13, 1968 and the two shows were made into a live album that Cash released.
The song "Folsom Prison Blues" that Cash wrote and performed, combines elements from two popular folk styles, the train song and the prison song, both of which Cash would continue to use for the rest of his career. It was one of Cash's signature songs and was the eleventh track on his debut album
The live version was recorded among inmates at Folsom State Prison itself and became a #1 hit on the country music charts in 1968.
Cash took the song from a 1953 Gorden Jenkin's song featuring Beverly Maher "Crescent City Blues".