Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson’s Live Version of “Folsom Prison Blues”

There is nothing better than listening to two great country singers, right? Yes, we present to you these two legends Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. Let’s check out one great duet they did together.

Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson Duet

Nelson and Cash performed a live version of “Folsom Prison Blues.” It was an amazing duet. Sadly, they haven’t recorded the song and released it as a single or as part of an album.

So, let’s just enjoy this awesome duet by two one-of-a-kind singers.

“Folsom Prison Blues”

“Folsom Prison Blues” was penned by Cash in 1953. However, it took him two years before he officially recorded and released the song. His inspiration for the song came to him when he watched a movie called Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison. Aside from being inspired by the movie, Cash also adapted some of the song’s lyrics from Gordon Jenkins. The latter wasn’t credited at first but, after a lawsuit, he received his share.

He released the song twice. First, it appeared in his album With His Hot and Blue Guitar. When it was released as a single, it entered both the country and the pop chart. It went to number three and thirty-two respectively. The second time he included the song in his album All Aboard the Blue Train. However, it was his live version of the song that reached number one on the country chart. He performed the song in front of the inmates at the Folsom State Prison.

Grammy Award for Live Version

His studio recording of the song was not the one nominated nor won an award. But, it was his live performance of the song. The live recording won the Grammy Award for Best Male Vocal Performance.

Maybe his live version resonates more because he performed this in front of the inmates and the song tells the story of a man at Folsom Prison.

Here’s the live version that took home the Grammy Award.