The post starts this way:
“Sing it, Cash!” the prisoners roared and screamed. “You know it man, we’re all in hell in here!”Read the whole post "San Quentin, You've Been Livin' Hell to Me" here on the Tokens Show blog.
If the gospel according to Johnny Cash is a message of God's solidarity with the poor and oppressed, my favorite example of this comes from the time when Cash almost started a prison riot.
Cash started playing prison concerts in the late 50s. His first concert, in 1959, was in Huntsville, TX. A thunderstorm hit during the outdoor show, soaking the performers and causing a power outage. But what should have been a disaster proved to be a revelation. The enthusiasm and the gratitude from the inmates that day overwhelmed Cash. Cash was so moved by the experience he quickly scheduled another concert at the notorious San Quentin prison. Over the next ten years, Cash would do over thirty prison shows, without compensation. And what he observed during those shows pricked his heart and fueled his activism in the 70s when he became a national voice calling for prison reform.
Trains, Jesus, and Murder officially launches next week, on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Get your copy at Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Indiebound.
Again, if you'd like to help launch the book, give it some social media love leading up to November 5.
And if you're interested in me bringing the gospel and Johnny Cash to your church, school or organization, I'd be excited to explore that with you. My speaking schedule and contact info is here.
