Aired on Treasure Island Oldies – May 31, 2026

Inspired by a 1951 prison film, a young man wrote a song in 1953 while serving in the U.S. Air Force in West Germany.

Deeply compelled to write a song from the perspective of an inmate locked away in a California state penitentiary, he reworked the melody and musical structure from “Crescent City Blues,” a 1953 song by jazz arranger Gordon Jenkins.

The US airman became a country star, who, in 1969, settled out of court for $75,000 for the uncredited similarities. But it was worth it, as a year earlier in 1968 a live performance of the song at a prison revitalized his career and gave birth to his signature outlaw legend.

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The country star recorded his “original” track on July 30, 1955, at the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. It was released as his second single and became a significant country hit, establishing his signature “train rhythm” guitar style.

By the mid-60s, the star’s commercial success had waned and his personal life was plagued by drug addiction. He had long wanted to perform a live concert at a prison, as he had been receiving fervent fan mail from inmates since the song’s initial release.

On January 13, 1968, Johnny Cash and his backing group (including June Carter, Carl Perkins, and the Tennessee Three) played two legendary back-to-back shows for the inmates at Folsom State Prison in California.

The inmates’ roaring cheers—especially during the infamous line, “But I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die”—were captured on tape. The resulting album, “At Folsom Prison,” became a massive commercial and critical smash. It revived Cash’s career, cemented his reputation as the champion of the downtrodden, and remains one of the most celebrated live records in history.

Following the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy in June 1968, the dark lyrics “But I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die” were considered too controversial by country radio. Columbia Records hastily edited and re-released the single without the word “die,” though Cash was vocal in his protests against editing “Folsom Prison Blues,” and its this week’s Tom Locke moment in time.

YouTube listing of the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNKYNLSlDt0  (Original)

This “Moments In Time” story is yet another example of a “golden oldie” or forgotten favorite that earned its place in the evolution of Rock & Roll.