At San Quentin

This was a very fun album Hearing him talk to the crowd in between songs was cool. “Excuse me, I couldn’t hear you I was talking” it’s a really great response to a heckler. I usually don't love live albums but this one was good, maybe because the crowd wasn't screaming excessively. I've never listened to Johnny Cash before but a lot of the songs were fun and had a good story/plot to them, like Starkville City Jail. I walk the line just made me want to go listen to the Halsey cover instead, so I queued that up right away and then returned to the rest of album San Quentin was neat to hear the crowd's first reaction. I didn't realize at the time it was about the prison I thought everyone just really hated the town they lived in I was going to give this 4 stars but I wore a bunch of good stuff so maybe it deserves 5??

I loved this, the passion of the audience, the conversation between the songs and how good the songs were, the back story of these gigs as well, an unexpected surprise

A unique individual and such a distinct voice. An icon.

This album made me understand why people like live albums.

So many live records lack specificity and originality. A paint by numbers enterprise. Conversely, "At San Quentin" is chock full of character and uniqueness! Not only do the songs shine and Cash's voice exude confidence, but the banter between songs and the prisoners cheering, whooping, and hollering as if on cue add a life that makes this one not to miss. A stunning slice of history, captured perfectly to enjoy for generations to come!

fino si si, guitarrita, carsel bad

Cash Money

Loved the banter

A fantastic album from back when country music was good; before it was co-opted by the America First, love it or leave it, blind patriotism, pro-military/pro-cop without question, alcoholism celebrating crowd.

absolute balls of steel, a hilarious live album

"Johnny Cash Live at San Quentin" is a powerful and iconic live album, showcasing Cash's charismatic performance before a captivated audience of inmates. The raw energy and emotional depth in his voice, combined with the connection he establishes with the crowd, make it a memorable musical experience. The inclusion of the famous track "A Boy Named Sue" adds a touch of humor to the overall intensity. It's a must-listen

What an experience, cash at his best

An excellent collection of songs, beautifully performed to the criminal and condemned. The spoken elements give a real insight into the man in black, his warmth and humanity shine through.

It’s hard to find any fault with this piece of music history. A compelling listen that always makes me wanting more. Sublime.

Legendary

Love the humour and music. Great album

Amazing. Love this.

At Folsom Prison” is the celebrated one, the ground-breaker, but “At San Quentin” might be the better of two. It feels like it knows its purpose, and because of that, it’s more powerful and more dangerous. The crowd swell at 1.03 during his first run through of “San Quentin” is about as cathartic as live music gets. Best thing is it’s as authentic as it gets, too—nothing performative about inmates cheering along with a singer who’s on their side, righteously hating on their place of imprisonment. Cash is a professional throughout and makes being a bandleader, prison crowd wrangler, storyteller, and folk hero look easy (we suspect it’s absolutely not). His ease is contrasted by some raw, unbalanced takes of some of his signature tunes. Goes without saying that the satirical “A Boy Named Sue” is an instant, stone-cold-classic and a deserved fan favorite. This is one of the most satisfying live albums of any genre, and it continues to earn its acclaim more than 50 years later. Ask yourself—what other artist could have made this record? Bob Dylan compared Johnny Cash to Mount Rushmore for a reason. Listen to that reason here.

4.5

Great piece... I hate every Inch of you!

Johnny Cash at his best, playing live for the marginalized and forgotten.

One from my childhood!

loved it

Thoughts before listening: I love it. Johnny Cash is one of the greatest voices of all time and his music is part of the fabric of America. Both of his live prison albums are legendary, but San Quentin has always been my favorite. Review: Johnny Cash is absolutely on fire on this album. He's telling jokes between songs and delivers a high energy set that really riles up the inmates attending the performance. This is punk rock before it even existed, and the crowd noise acts as an additional instrument that elevates these recordings while making you feel like a member of that audience. The Legacy Edition of this album is absolutely the best way to listen, and is the version I once owned on CD. The original is only 30 minutes while the LE expands this to capture not only the full Johnny Cash show, but also bits of the openers in Carl Perkins, the Statler Brothers, and the Carter Family. I especially enjoy the Statler Brothers' "Flowers on the Wall". From the Johnny Cash songs, these are absolutely definitive versions of these songs that add a certain fire missing from the studio versions. "Big River", "I Still Miss Someone", "Wreck of the Old 97", "I Walk the Line", "Folsom Prison Blues", "Jackson", "Orange Blossom Special", "San Quentin", and "Ring of Fire" are all timeless songs enhanced by the live setting. The true star here (of both the original and LE version) is "A Boy Named Sue" with Johnny dropping naughty words (including the infamous bleep) and the inmates loving every minute of it. This is easily a 5-star album.

What is there not to like? His voice, his storytelling, the banter w the audience, the guitar, the band...the man in black is a legend. I'm more familiar w Folsom than San Quentin, but this did not disappoint.

•Not owned: Streaming •Once owned; will get again •I forgot how much I enjoyed this album—probably haven’t listened to it since the Required Johnny Cash Period of my 20s. The energy between Cash and the crowd feels almost like communion; Cash and Co. play with such spirit, you’d think they were playing for early release. (I can’t be the first person to say this.) What a fantastic album. •5/5

Love this album and the general feeling it conveys. Johnny Cash stands out for these performances, which have had a huge impact on country music, and non-country music that persists to this day. Take Merle Haggard, for example, one of the greatest country artists and songwriters of all time. Prior to his music career, Merle was in attendance at one of Johnny’s prison performances, which inspired him to change his life and pursue music. In performing for convicted men, Johnny Cash provided hope and a vision of a better future, not to mention this album contains some of the greatest songs from Johnny’s career.

Nice

The best to ever do it

Favourite tracks: san Quentin; starksvile city jail; peace in the valley; wanted man; a boy named sue

Soft 5

An absolute classic album with a charismatic Cash.

I’m not sure if there is anything cooler to me than this.

Johnny Cash playing at a prison is so culturally important that this is an instant 5.

Following his legendary series of concerts at prisons, Cash brings another live recording, this time immortalizing his San Quentin prison show. The man in black does it again. He practically started a riot with his guitar and rebellious lyrics. The most interesting element is his interaction with the audience. Cash empathizes -organically, at times- with the prisoners and their agony. I admire Johnny's decision to leave the song "San Quentin" two times on the tracklist. It is a testament to how prisoners felt represented by the lyrics and free for a few minutes.

Loved it

Hell yeah. Why don't they make live records at prisons more often? Basically this and the Lone Rangers from the Airheads movie. Sex Pistols too. What if Vampire Weekend make a "Live from Rikers Island?" That shit would be rad. Weird coincidence that Steve Buscemi plays bass for Lone Rangers and his nephew plays bass for Vampire Weekend.

This and Folsom Prison are two of my fav live albums. Love the banter

Was really good! I have wanting to get into Johnny Cash and I think I have found my starting point.

FUCK YEAH!!!!

love the man in black

Timeless

When I was young I never understood why Johnny Cash kept singing to these prisons. As someone born in the mid 90s, lacking the context, it always felt like a nice old time grandpa singing to a bizarre crowd of misfits. What I never realized is that Cash singing to a prison is less an artist doing charity, and more a community member preaching freedom and hope to his congregation (See the San Quentin track with all the howling jeers, cheers and boos from the crowd). It almost feels like Cash is more at home in this prison than on a big stage in a city. Both the prisoners and Cash are this cohort of maladjusted, angry, selfish, men who represent the rowdy, untamed, base components of the American West in all their bravado, masculinity, pain, and fear. As for the tracks - I've heard the Cash catalog up and down, so I love this stuff, so its less of a musical critique and more of a cultural one. As always a great album.

A Classic (Boy named Sue is one of my favs)

I watched the TV special for this and then listened to the album. I don't know what I think about the album musically. I do know what I think about a big country star understanding that prisoners are still human beings and getting serious about reform in the 1960s. I gave a Bob Dylan & the Band live album a 5 for just fucking around, so this one can't be any less than that. music: respect. (⌐■_■)

This thing has the most deranged energy. The back and forth between Cash and the audience is friendly and tense at the same time, and like 40% of the whole thing is the back and forth. If a live album’s aim is to capture a moment that happened, this is one of the most worthwhile live albums there is.

A country classic! Great to hear the live dialog in between songs.

Holds up years later

FUCK jeg ville godt have været der. Top 5 vildeste livealbums jeg nogensinde har hørt

Damn good album. The electric atmosphere and setting make this album quite unique. ..is what I thought before learning this guy has FOUR prison albums? Damn dude calm down. I wanna know the logistics here. Are there murderers and rapists in this crowd or what? Just embezzlers? Tax avoiders? Strange.

Legend and comedy 5/5

This was pretty much a perfect pairing, the outlaw of country music performing for imprisoned outlaws in real life. Cash knew his strengths and he used them. He knew his audience and he played them like a guitar. This album is a classic and enjoyable from front to back.

One of the purest examples of a performer connecting with their audience. Cash understands these imprisoned men implicitly; he’s funny, he’s honest, and he plays a lot of damn good music.

so so good!! Every song is so soulful and exciting and the fact it’s live too damn

If Johnny Cash came on the scene today, he would be laughed out of an American idol audition. His voice isn't perfect, but it's incredibly intriguing. He makes you believe the stories he tells through song, even if you know it's not really his story. So captivating and his voice only got more interesting as he got older.

It’s Johnny cash, what more can I say

The atmosphere and crowd were great!

I usually don't like live albums, but in this case it enhanced the experience. I liked the songs, but also enjoyed listening to his interactions with the inmates.

I loved it. My dad had this album as a kid and I wore it out.

Wanted Man- 4.7/5 Wreck of the Old 97- 5/5 I Walk the Line- 5/5 Darling Companion- 4.6/5 Starkville City Jail- 4.2/5 San Quentin- 4.7/5 San Quentin (Reprise)- 4.8/5 A Boy Named Sue- 5/5 (There'll Be) Peace in the Valley- 4.9/5 Folsom Prison Blues- 5/5 Total- 4.8/5

Wow. I’ve heard tracks from this before, but never sat down and listened to the entire show. I was blown away by how entertaining Johnny was - even through the low quality audio recording of the day, the show had me hooked the whole time.

The social implications of this album seem to eclipse the fatigue in Cash’s voice - they almost seem to buoy his spirit to fight the demons he was likely tortured by at this point in his life. Truly a heroic artist. His art was never more starkly evocative.

What a legend!

I love Johnny

Classic, some of his best songs and an insight into his character as well. Fantastic live album.

Live albums are just not my thing. The less talking on an album the better. That being said, I was never going to give Johnny less than a 5. Let's be reasonable.

At Folsom Prison again. So 5 stars.

Love Johnny Cash, his vibe, his performances, his story telling. I love that he worked with Shel Silverstein, one of the greatest poets. I love June Carter Cash - the prisoners! It's all just the best 👌🏾

Irrefutable proof that Johnny Cash is The Man! It’s amazingly sweet even when he’s saying fuck you. I especially loved the reprise of San Quentin and would love to see the footage. I was surprised and pretty bummed the album was so short. I honestly felt bad for the guys at San Quentin and thought Johnny kind of screwed them out of more fun time, but then learned the full concert was much longer - you can listen on Legacy edition of the album. It’s pretty great!

Country music used to be like this. What happened

Absolutely and completely epic. The music is great but the experience of the album is the real treat

ez 5 star

I think this landed better than Folsom for me, musically it felt tighter but also Johnny is more charming. Folsom is perhaps more of a novelty but I enjoyed this more.

This is classic Cash. He has a great report with the audience and you can feel how excited everyone is to hear him perform. The Legacy album is also great if you wanted to extend the experience.

A classic

Amazing show. Haven’t listened to much Cash but would love to now.

Johnny Cash was just an anomaly. He was bigger than life yet completely relatable. He loved performing. You would have to,to go to multiple prisons like he did. He didn’t seem to put himself above anyone. Glad we got to hear it.

Great live recording of one of the best songwriters ever

It was a lot of fun to hear Johnny interact with the crowd and make jokes. It added a lot of enjoyment to the album.

This was really fun to listen to, and a great experience! I really liked it and the festival experience really makes it so much fun. I walk the line is my favourite.

This is a blast, what an atmosphere

What a great time. Johnny Cash is such a natural in front of a crowd. Not a long album but still as quality as it gets.

This was an excellent listen I thoroughly enjoyed. Recommend.

Johnny Cash was one of the realest motherfuckers on the planet! His genius, among other things, was his authenticity and his ability to connect with his audience. That was on full display in this recording.

Badass

Brilliant

How have I never heard this one before? 10x better than At Folsom Prison, and I love that album. Johnny Cash must’ve been just the coolest motherfucker ever

Not as good as Folsom but still damn good.

Fantastic live album! Practically the felt like one of the prisoners. Johnny has a wonderful stage personality.

The background and history of this live concert is what really did it for me. How special.

I love Live at Folsom Prison but somehow had never sat down and listened through this one. Very similar in content but I actually liked the songs on this one more. Love me some crime ballads

If I were to ask you about your earliest memory, would you recall it? At some point or other we all gained sentience. I couldn’t tell you at what moment I gained mine, if I ever did. It may have involved a Mark McGwire home run in his final season, complete with an onslaught of fireworks that likely left snotty tears on my dad’s shirt and an ice cream cone in my hand. It may have involved 9/11, where I of course had no idea there was anything wrong but was happy to see my great-grandparents after their vacation to DC was canceled. Or it may have involved something as trivial as snooping around the local plant nursery searching for “clues,” otherwise known as “price tags,” that had fallen off their respective merchandise (yes, that is a great strategy for occupying toddlers). But at the end of the day, I couldn’t tell you when or how I gained sentience in this world of ours. But I can tell you when I gained sentience in the world of music. It was Johnny Cash, in February 2007, at my grandparents’ 40th wedding anniversary in the town of Mexico, Missouri. “I Walk the Line” played over the speakers, and I had to know who it was. The mahogany voice and rhythm that could make you sway in your sleep put me in a trance. But the Man in Black wasn’t done; by the end of the night I was all over “Ring of Fire,” too. In the coming months and years I would learn more and more music, hardly any of which was written on this side of 1990. In December 2007 I listened to my uncle’s iPod for the first time and fell in love with rock and roll. The fact that I quickly learned the hits from AC/DC, Aerosmith, the Beatles, and Bob Marley makes me think I should’ve gotten more creative than just going in alphabetical order. But hell, if I’d gone the other way I might’ve just wanted a clean shirt, new shoes, a silk suit, and a black tie. Regardless of how far I expanded my rock and roll repertoire, Johnny Cash was always there as the old oak to look back to. He gave us stories in “Ballad Of A Teenage Queen” and “Tennessee Flat-Top Box.” He gave us humor in “A Boy Named Sue” and “The One on the Right is on the Left.” He gave us family in “Jackson” and “Daddy Sang Bass.” Fast forward a decade and I’m with my grandparents for their 50th anniversary visiting Sun Studio in Memphis, where Johnny Cash got his start. We pose for pictures where he sang with Elvis, with Jerry Lee Lewis, with Carl Perkins. He may be long gone, and while I never met him and never thought about it much, he probably had a greater impact on my life than I realize. For all I know my grandparents walked the line at some dance hall in rural Missouri all those years ago.

Exceptional ! A must have album to grace any musical collection.

His cheeky dialogue was the best

This is not just music, it's a piece of history. It's a great live album, the atmosphere is so energetic, and even if you don't like the music I'm sure you'll love everything in between.

Such simple songs that moved so many people. Not just those in San Quinton, though it did speak to them quite succinctly.

Wow what an incredible album. I remember Mr Marr teaching is about the importance of Jonny Cash and this particular album and I haven't listened to it for a while. The whole thing tied together so beautifully and his little bits of stand up in between and how he commands the crowd is amazing. What a thing to visualise. I don't know so much about Cash's outlaw image but it whatever I think it is amazing he humanised these prisoners, which I can only imagine how grim they were back then (well and now) and did these concerts. A genius with words and comedy and storytelling

Absolute belter. Johnny Cash is just a character and just sticks to what he is and what he knows. The whole prison gig thing is genius and his little talks between the songs give you a good sense of what he's like. Brilliant.

A gem which hit me without notice, I'm glad tho. Highly entertaining, a perfect voice. Cash singing a song about destroying the San Quentin prison WHILE IN said prison is a cherry on top. Doing a bis makes it legendary.

Amazingly I love this album. I never really vibe with country but this somehow clicks.

First time for me and this album. It had me from start to finish. I very much appreciated the songs and the banter. It felt very genuine and the energy both from Cash and the listeners touched me.

A raw and moving performance by an exemplary human.

Grew up with this music around me. Thinking about it now, how cool is it that Johnny Cash made it big with not one but two live albums recorded in prisons. The crowd energy is fantastic! I really love Cash’s delivery. He scares me just a little at times, but stops short of inciting a full-on riot. His performance so perfectly imperfect for a live album. The delivery on here has the patter and impromptu interactions that make a live album worth hearing. Two criticisms: the album is too short and I want an unbleeped version. What an amazing performer we had in Johnny Cash.

Johnny rockin’ it with inmates, great songs, great on-stage interaction and awesome crowd reactions…

Class

Brilliant all the way through

Loved this one

Johnny Cash playing music directly to his target demographic. What a great moment in time to have captured.

This is Folsom Prison encapsulates all that Johnny Cash is about. Absolute classics

Johnny Cash at San Quentin might be my favorite live album ever. Can you imagine a crowd of prisoners enjoying a show from their #1 idol after years and years of not seeing a single show. And furthermore, Johnny Cash arriving with the song "San Quentin" for them, playing it twice. The most responsive crowd I've ever heard. The crowd is overwhelmed and the fun is 100% there.

Fantastic energy. I've heard most of these songs before but never listened to the album the whole way through. Really an experience.

I wish country music still sounded like this.

An absolute classic. There's just a great energy to this album and the music is amazing.

Don't usually listen to country but this album is beyond any genre. The phrase "man of the people" must have been based on Johnny Cash. San Quentin I hate every inch of youuu. Legendary stuff.

Live Johnny Cash: easy 5 stars.

Has a few of his more knowable tunes than Folsom. Overall it's not quite as strong as that. Still has so much character - the little chuckles in songs, the audience being as much of the performance. Can't believe this is so good compared to most country.

They were wild back then

I wish more artists would do this. I love it so much. This album is incredible.

Cash was a master of stage banter.

A really good country album... Really transports you to that prison. And if you dont like the music, there's a few comedy skits in between I really liked A Boy Named Sue

this is not my style of music. Oh, even though I enjoyed quite a few songs of it, but this album held my attention from start to finish, and I just fucking loved it. The rapport that he had with the inmates was amazing. Love it.

Love johnny

Hard to argue with Cash, and this is one of the few times I've actually really liked a live album. The reprise was fun to listen to, hearing the crowd and Johnny talking to them. Great stuff!

This man is like butter, full and beautiful

I see a lot of negative comments towards live albums on this site. Personally I have come to realize the last years how powerful live albums can be. Especially during the pandemic it was a great substitute to the sense of togetherness and the energy of a live audience. I think live albums like this will have a more lasting cultural significance than many of the coveted album oriented rock albums on this list. The album as an art form had its time between the late 60’s and the early 00’s. It had about 40 years to shine. Although I still listen to the physical media of records (vinyls, CDs, tapes etc) it’s with few exceptions a nostalgic old man’s game by now. Of course a lot of great records are still being produced in the digital age but I think songs and live performances (not on record but the real thing) have eclipsed the importance of albums. At San Quentin showcases two of Cashs gifts. His story telling ability and his rapport with an audience. Perhaps an audience of inmates starved of entertainment is a grateful task, but it’s obvious Cash can talk the talk and walk the walk. Every song on this might not be a certified banger but I listened to the original release, saw the video recording and then listened to the legacy edition with the whole concert. Powerful and entertaining stuff. Cash’s delivery on A boy named Sue is one of the highlights. This is how myths are made.

I agree that this is an excellent album that everyone should hear. 5/5

Lovely to hear a great favourite

Just great. Apart from the songs, he has a brilliant rapport with the audience and some witty repartee to boot. Loved every moment of this. Classic songs! They didn’t have to beep out the swear words (which was slightly grating) but it was fun filling the words in for myself.

My first reaction to this album was that it was very cool of JC to be playing for the prisoners. I went down a whole rabbit hole of thoughts about the prison system and morality, etc. that ended up with me wondering what would happen if Taylor Swift performed at a prison. I bet the fans who paid lots of money to see her concerts would be angry. The song choices, and especially playing ‘San Quentin’ twice, were on point. ‘A Boy Named Sue’ has always intrigued me.

Damn, what a wild album. The energy buzzes throughout, Cash is obviously enjoying connecting with this group of outlaws, and they sound crazed and on the verge of a riot. It's a 5 just for having the balls to perform the set.

Yeah

Legendarily awesome

Cenzura xD

The voice. The man. The man in black.

Вот это реально один из самых интересных лайвов. Джонни Кэш исполняет песни про людей в тюрьме, находясь в этой же тюрьме. Очень много боли которую он пронес с собой и это почти окончание его карьеры, когда его чуть не убили наркотики, поэтому это вдвойне мне слушать больнее

Own on Vinyl

Johnny Cash my beloved

I think we gotta make it 5

he's so easy to love

What should I say I love everything about this

Arguably the best example of Cash's early impact in Country. If you're a fan of Cash you'll love this album.

Album avec une émotion et une ambiance incroyable !

hell yea

The man in black - at San Quentin- With Merle Haggard in the audience, a convict himself And Johnny didn’t hold back.. this was a badass performance This is the ultimate live album Bands should study this album before they attempt to make one

Marvellous album!!

I don’t know if I ever listened to the entire album before. But this is raw and intense. These are songs you’ve heard or know the names of in a lot of instances. But I get the hype about this concert now. 5/5

This 1969 classic is an awesome testament to the power of live music. Listening I could hear the emotion and reaction of the audience to the ‘San Quentin’ and to ‘A Boy Named Sue’. Johnny’s concert gave the finger to the establishment and a rare good day in a place known for plenty of bad ones.

He was an original. This is a great example of why he remained cool and relevant for all of his life.

Funny thing, I’m a pretty big Johnny Cash fan but I’ve really only heard greatest hits albums so the deeps cuts are still largely new to me. I loved to find out that I enjoyed almost every song on this album. It’s well paced, funny and Johnny Cash has reaaaaal star power. 5

Classic Johnny Cash live, you can’t go wrong. Never heard San Quentin before, liked it once and loved it a second time. Absolutely great listen whether it’s your first or tenth time listening to Cash

Icon

Love

I didn't know what to except but I was pleasantly surprised as I found myself laughing throughout the album while also thoroughly enjoying the music.

Johnny Cash is great, and I like how much this benefits from being a live album, really shows off how charismatic of a performer he was

I really like the live recording, it feels like I’m actually at the concert

Really a great atmosphere set up by the live album. Seemed fun and a only one or two songs that didn’t get my head bobbing

Tear down the walls!

Is there anything more punk rock than writing a song about a prison, about how awful that prison is, then asking a guard for a glass of water, then playing the song a second time through?

A very special album

Another classic. Great songs and good banter.

This was super fun!

Really good

With At San Quentin, Johnny Cash zeroes in on a newfound, unexpected second wind in his career, seeing himself elevated as a sage and a seer amongst the downtrodden weary souls discarded by life. Along with The Carter Family, Carl Perkins and The Statler Brothers, the Man in Black indulges the prisoners (and us) with some of country music's most enduring and popular songs, mixing it up with contemporary dwellings from Shel Silverstein and Bob Dylan. Whether listening to the original single album version or the Legacy edition, this is about as full of an live experience as we could possibly get and we'd be much worse off if none of this happened.

Love this guy so much. Talented, charismatic, genuine and incredibly funny. I don't like country at all, but I could listen to Johnny Cash singing and asking for water for an entire day without it getting stale. Let the man say "son of a bitch" though! No need for those ear-piercing bleeps. One of the best live albums of all time. Only slightly below "At Folsom Prison" for me. Gotta be a 5/5.

A bookend to the San Quentin release. For me this one is better and is iconic Johnny Cash. The stage is set with the famous "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash", followed by the inmates going ape-shit crazy. The balance of humor and maudlin is perfect. Essential.

Can’t believe they managed to pull this off, and couldn’t imagine something like this happening today. Great recording.

Perfection, both the songs and the banter between. He is one of the greatest of all time, and this is one of his most famous shows - what's not to love?

Riktigt intressant interaktion mellan cash och publiken. Bra låtar också

I love everything about this album. It's perfect.

Along with live at Folsom this is the perfect introduction to the Man in Black

It's Johnny Cash singing in prison, of course you need to listen to it. Not as good as Folsom Prison but it does have Boy Named Sue. Probably a 4.5 album but given my love for the Man in Black I'm rounding up to a 5.

Great album, classic Cash. Not the best recording but it almost adds to the experience. Would be amazing to find an un-bleeped version. Does it exist?

I don't like it as much as Folsom Prison, but I think the stage banter might be better. Seems a little more like a raw concert. Still excellent. I listened to the later release of the Full Concert (which still isn't the *full* concert) which has more songs than the original and I think it works better.

Excellent album, great slice of cantankerous rebel music history. Love the hooting prison guys throughout. The cheek and humour. Showmanship. The songs are excellent too. Johnny Cash at his most extraordinary. Wonderful

Live album! In a prison! There is no better genre

pretty sweet honestly

This was a blast. I don't know if I have ever listened to a whole Johnny Cash record before and I'm happy I did.. such a fun discovery through this.

No comment.

yep, already know johnny cash, his songs, and his personality -- damn, what a badass. best country artist in history. one of the most badass live album ever to date, along with at folsom prison. music is great. sound is great. ambiance is also great -- the conversations with the prisoners add to the feel. it makes me feel i'm within the san quentin prison, vibing with cash and everyone within the prison. damn, what a feeling. (but, i still think that at folsom prison is better.) rip johnny cash, the man in black forever. 10/10 (maybe from 9 to a 10, could be an 8) -- 9/23/2022

Nice reprise to Folsom Prison.

Awesome! The atmosphere on this album is on another level.

Awesome live album

Amazing album. Possibly the greatest live album ever and what a genius. Love this always

Ultra sympathischer Mann. Sehr hohe Qualität und sehr gute Atmosphäre. Hammer!

5 for Sarny

Hello, I’m Jonny Cash.

The best

The atmosphere is amazing, I really enjoyed it. I didn't think live albums are for me, but this proved me wrong

always wanted to get into johnny cash but never actually listened. good stuff i liked it quite a bit. shall listen to more of him

Phenomenal album. I have personally never listened to Johnny Cash, and I am glad this was my first listen. I love the banter between Cash and the prisoners, hearing the overwhelming cheering and booing really adds to the listening experience. 'San Quentin' and 'A Boy Named Sue' are magical. I would definitely listen to this again.

¡Discazo, papá!

Quite the experience, feels like you're there just from the audio

База

Country doesn’t get any better than Johnny Cash singing in prisons

This is one of the greatest live albums ever made. What Cash did in this album to a higher degree than I have ever heard is that he spoke to the prisoners from *their* point of view as peers. Listen to the humor, the politeness, and the anti-authoritarian comments. And the crowd responds incredibly because it was so rare for anyone to treat them this way. I've listened to this album scores of times over my life. It is one of the greatest examples of artistic empathy I know. I love Johnny Cash and I definitely love this album. I bet a lot of those guys were seeing June Carter on the back of their eyelids as they fell asleep that night. Worth going to prison for to see this performance? Maybe.

I really really dig it

I do have to be in the right mood for live albums, but when I am this one is a solid 5.

Great album

LP

I was never much of Cash's target audience, but hearing (and seeing) him play in front of dozens of inmates was a powerful experience. Going to jump to At Folsom Prison real soon too.

This has it all. An iconic performance, social commentary, humour, audience interaction. And of course, some great songs. Not least San Quentin, penned for the occasion. But in some ways the high point for me is the tender duet, accompanied by the under-rated Carl Perkins, on Darling Companion. You can hear the warmth, both on and off stage. An all time classic.

Amazing

As long as I can remember, Mr. Cash has been one of the few exceptions to my "I don't listen to country music on purpose" mantra. His voice is smooth, the stories are interesting, and his delivery is captivating. I'm familiar with most of the songs, but to hear them live like this brings new life to them. I am shocked he nearly incited a dang riot with the "San Quentin" song!

IMO this is one of the best live albums of modern music. The dynamic with him bantering with the inmates is so uniquely strange, energetic, tense, and yet somehow he is comfortable (naive?) enough to invite his wife, June Carter on stage to sing with him for a song. I think the setlist is fantastic, the performance is fantastic, and I think this album is fantastic. It's not only fitting for this list but also is an easy 5/5 for me.

This really seems to by Johnny Cash in his element.

Clássico e politicamente importante

What a fantastic album. Johnny Cash sounds particularly motivated on this album and he really seems empathetic to the audience who of course feed off of his empathy and his energy. Johnny Cash at his absolute best 5 🌟

Absolute classic album - and feels completely real.

Good ol' Johnny

The definitive country live album. I know live albums should not be on the list, but this is not a greatest hits collectio. It is a concept album about criminal intent and as such the location location location of the concert was outstanding. Johnny Cash and the band are in top form. I like Folsom Prison a bit better, but I always considered these as a combined live album experience.

I knew this would be somewhere in the list. Not as absolutely 200% fucking classic as Folsom Prison, but compared to so many albums on here this still deserves full marks and then some. 5/5.

Peerless

Outra gravação ao vivo fundamental

I always just love Johnny with all my heart and he never fails. So great hearing him chat with the prisoners and just fuck around. San Quentin is solid and ofc a lil Folsom prison blues to close out. Wish I could’ve been alive to see him irl 😫

I'll admit I was surprised to see this over his album at Folsom Prison, but after listening to it for the first time, I get why it's included (though I hope they're both on this list somewhere). Incredible energy from Cash and the audience alike. Plus, Cash's laid back attitude with regards to people telling him what to do is hilarious. I have massive respect for Cash for his series of prison performances. Just an outstanding, fun album.

A great showman, you can feel the great atmosphere. Love the funny little bits between songs I’ve heard hundreds of times.

Perfect

The prison’s antennas quit after seeing the reception Cash gets from the inmates. Loved the interaction with the crowd and him stirring them and the guards up.

Very enjoyable. Loved the performances and the commentary.

The better of the 2 prison albums

Classic Album.

This album just oozes atmosphere, I usually hate 'live' albums but there's something special about this particular one that I can not only forgive it but revel in it. Only drawback is the censoring beeps.

Johnny Cash and live recordings are two things I've never really listened to much before, but I think I might be changing that. An all-round great album. You can really feel the humanity of it.

Look, it's not At Folsom Prison, but if this doesn't embody what it means or what it meant to be country (because country is a rotting corpse now), then I don't know what does. It's brilliant in its anti prison industrial complex premise. It's brilliant in its support of the working class. In Johnny's iconic simplicity. In his silver tongue. The crowd is happy and you're happy because there's nothing to complain about. A classic, through and through. Also features one of my first and favorite Cash songs of all time, a story of a drunken bar fight with your dead beat dad who named you "Sue".

Another good Cash in Prison album. “A Boy Named Sue” was a childhood favorite.

Oh the humanity.

Second to only Fulsum Prison

Loved the country type vibe. Really refreshing. Hilarious commentary too.

All time classic a master at work

Love some Johnny Cash

Loved this.

Best live album ever

Wow! I can't imagine being in the room for this. Such an insight into JC and his performances. Nothing says fuck you louder than going to a prison and telling a building full of convicts "I'm here to do ... what I want to do..." Can you imagine what would've happened if he sang all the lyrics to Fulsome Prison Blues? Phenomenal album they must've rioted when they figured out he was only playing for 34 mins.

all you could want from a great country album!

Couldn't stop smiling the whole way through. Fun, funny, and a worthy sequel to Folsom Prison.

Man, give me an extra star here. Legend

Cool Dude. Incredible "album" because of the context in itself, but songs obviously awesome too

Really really good live album

Really good, might even prefer it to fulsome prison!

I like me some Johnny Cash.

I love this man. Instant classic. Superb soul.

so cool. Historical album.

First time I listened to this all the way through - legendary

I dont normally like live albums and it took me a minute to get the right version of this one. I know all these songs and I think the live versions were the originals I heard. So I agree with this album being on the list.

One of the best live albums ever made. Period.

Essential

Greatest of all time.

This live album shows how Cash connects with the people he performs for on their level. He was cool, funny, rebellious to authority figures and genuine. This was played at a penitentiary and the prisoners were clearly having such a good time.

This album made a fan of me. It was such a crazy thing to hear live. Possibly the best live album I've ever heard.

Fantastic

Pretty incredible to have this many talented folks playing in a prison. What a party!! I gotta give this a 10/5

all killer

love listening to Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash another icon. What is it about that unusual voice that is so compelling? I like most of his recordings.

Though I do not like country, Johnny Cash has always been an exception for me. His sympathy for people in prison is also greatly apparent.

There is a reason why Johnny Cash transcends country music and is beloved even by people who wouldn't even touch the genre. Cash singing about being a wanted man as a crowd of convicts cheers on is one of the most metal things you'll ever hear on a country album. Cash's unflattering song about the prison gets such a great reaction, they scream at Cash to play it again! Cash's strong bass-baritone vocals demands attention and his humour and relatability wins over the crowd. The music here is admittedly rather basic, but this record is all about the rowdy atmosphere it creates.

Johnny is a legend for a reason and I really enjoyed listening to this album. Even all the talking bits were fun and a little insightful about what this dude was all about. That said, probably giving the album 4 stars just because it's a bit of a short tracklist and coupled with the sound quality I don't think I'll be revisiting it for a bit.

Struggled rating this one. It's awesome he actually went to a prison to perform a concert but the music wasn't his best. Not quite 5 but certainly not a 3.

Real cowboys listen to Johnny Cash! Amazing live album!

If I was at San Quentin hearing Johnny Cash perform San Quentin for the first time ever I would've rioted I would've killed a guard right then and there

You can't go wrong with Johnny Cash. He's the only country music act I actually enjoy listening to at this point. The live environment of the prison and the included interactions are both funny and electric. I did like the Folsom Prison one more (this one felt a bit too short and sweet), but this one is still good regardless.

Maybe it's just because the Folsom album got to me first but I slightly prefer that one to this, but that's not to say this is by any means a weak album. San Quentin twice was a delight. Hearing the crowd reactions is a large part of what make these albums so successful.

He's an entertainer, at home in front of the crowd, even if it's a rough one.

some real outlaw shit i perfer his sadder more melancholic stuff but this cool. really different vibe from american IV

Still great but I think Folsom did it better.

I love Johnny Cash. I Walk The Line...a hit with audiences, both incarcerated and otherwise. There's something about him that just fits in these recordings. A Boy Named Sue, the greatest song ever written by Shel Silverstein. (There'll Be) Peace in the Valley is amazing. It's not as good as the show at Folsom, but it's good.

Fun. Not all the songs are great, but this was good.

what a joy this was

Enjoyable live album with loads of personality, showmanship and humor. Some fine renditions of famous Johnny Cash songs with loads of charming audience interaction and funny banter. A prison as a live setting works strangely well for a live album, and while the song choices are clearly coloured by the setting, I feel like it adds to the charm. Johnny Cash is entertaining as ever, even when the songs sometimes are a bit unremarkable. Fun and easy listen. 4/5

Good

You can feel the connection between artist and audience. And considering the audience, it’s incredible. Plus, it’s maybe the perfect rendition of A Boy Named Sue.

I liked how he honoured his friend in the set. He gave the prisoners a journey throughout the whole performance too, every song had substance or a story behind it and he led the audience to that notion

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I don’t really see the point in live albums vs a studio recording as I find the sound is always worse and the experience just doesn’t translate to the listener at home. Now, that being said, I really enjoyed this. The novel idea that he was performing to a group of prison inmates and the simple, pared back sound that he has as an artist really helped to keep the songs clear and engaging. His asides to the audience were funny and well received…another fun album.

Loved Starkville city jail and how Johnny used humor to lighten the crowd with his songs. This album is powerful. I just love when people use their gifts to amplify issues—-in this case, prison reform. You can hear how much this probably means to the prisoners. I got a lot of respect for Johnny Cash. A boy named Sue is so fun.

Great live record - excellent recording, awesome banter from Johnny, good vibe all round. Favourite tracks: I Walk The Line, Darlin' Companion, San Quentin (both versions!), A Boy Named Sue.

Easily one of the prettiest male voices I’ll hear in my god-damned life. The energy and tension of this recording sounds like there are lit firecrackers all over the room waiting to go off. Boy Named Sue is kind of a weird listen nowadays, but his prison songs cut as deep now as they did in 69.

Classic.

Classic but short and one song is done twice for the crowd.

Enjoyed his crowd work and storytelling. His music definitely isn’t something I would seek out but I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy listening to this live album while cleaning the bathroom. Best songs in my opinion are the first and the song about Susie as a man also the one about being arrested.

Good

Awesome...great entertainer

Country isn't really my favorite genre, but this album was quite great to listen to. I really enjoyed the songs here.

I kinda like it because I liked the background music and the lyrics quite a bit but I couldn't really connect with it.

very good listen. charming bloke he was

GOATed live environment

While the songs are musically pretty simple, Johnny Cash's lyrics tell stories in a straight to the point yet powerful way, and the crowd noise from the prison he's performing in gives these songs real character. Favourites: I Walk the Line, San Quentin, A Boy Named Sue

Boy named sue was superbly done. Fantastic live album from the man in black. Plenty of soul and rhythm and his life speaks through the music so beautifully

A triumphant live performance, I mean the applause from the audience really tells you everything. ‘Walk the Line’ was brilliant. Cash’s storytelling and humour on the providence of the ‘Starkville City Jail’ song was awe-inspiring. Cash’s performance of ‘San Quentin’ was truly a special moment; his raw, unfiltered lyrics on the flaws of prison institutions truly resonated with the prison crowd, so much so that with all the applause, he decided to perform it a second time. But, leaving everything else behind, ‘A Boy Named Sue’ was absolutely iconic, I’ve been listening to this song for a long while before finally getting the chance to listen to this album fully but it reached its full resonance with hearing it in this live album context. Folsom Prison Blues was a bit short-lived and could’ve been longer but it was definitely the right song to end with. Speaking on the topic of Folsom Prison Blues, I don’t think Live at San Quentin is as good as the Live at Folsom Prison Album. It’s not as lively and invigorating but that doesn’t take away from its worth, I think both are different and San Quentin gives a slower, possibly more-considered approach whilst retaining Johnny Cash’s penchant for charismatic storytelling and use of humour. Overall, I’d recommend this for anyone who likes Johnny Cash or even anyone who’s not familiar with this work. It’s a great album.

I like it for some reason ?

Really cool album listening experience. The history behind it is fascinating and hearing Johnny Cash speak is awesome

Great album - fantastic talent and historic gig

King

This was better because of the interaction with the crowd. Not as many of my favorite Cash songs, but still a good album

I'd probably say that my respect for Johnny Cash as an artist probably greatly outpaces my pure enjoyment of his music, generally speaking, but some great moments here. I think this one (like Folsom) is a lot more interesting because of the live interactions and the whole surrounding context of the record. A Boy Named Sue is great and was recorded live here for the first time, and I like the duets with June as well. As far as the music goes, there really isn't as much of variety from the backing band here as I would like, but a pretty ripping quick version of Folsom Prison to close things out. I like this as a live album that actually feels live, with the crowd, a few mess-ups, and spontaneous off the cuff moments.

Cash is great as always here. The live aspect of his jail house albums adds charm in my opinion.

Country, rock and roll.

Another good prison album

Another very entertaining music-comedy-slice of Americana album from Cash. This one is the live version of "Boy Named Sue" and the picture of him flippin the bird at the camera crew for blocking the inmate's view.

super

I loved his banter with the audience! Can you imagine this in a 2026 prison? Very enjoyable. I added “San Quentin, Reprise” to my playlist. 4/5.