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Jim Marshall was one of the great photographers of the modern age, his pictures of Johnny Cash defining

images of 20th century popular culture. Marshall died in March 2010, while preparing a book on Cash. In tribute to the man and his muse,

MOJO presents this exclusive extract. Words & Images: Jim Marshall.

greystone chapel

Johnny Cash sits and contemplates in the site of Glen Sherley’s chilling jail composition, Folsom Prison, Represa, California, 1968.

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first met Johnny Cash when he was hanging out with Bob Dylan at some Greenwich Village nightclub in 1962. We just hit it off. i photographed him at the newport folk festivals. When i came back out to san francisco in ’64, we stayed in touch.

When Columbia records agreed to do the folsom Prison shows – producer Bob Johnston talked them into doing it – John called them to have me shoot the concerts.

there was one other photogra-pher there; i don’t know if he even got inside. i had unlimited access at folsom; i could go anywhere i wanted. the pop music writer Bob hilburn of the Los angeles times

was there – one of his first assignments for the paper. he’s in some of the photos. the album, At Folsom Prison, was recorded on a 4-track. John brought his whole show – the statler Brothers, mother maybelle Carter, and Carl Perkins, with the tennessee three.

Cash stepped down off the bus just as the steel doors to the prison clanged shut and said, “there’s a feeling of permanence to that sound.” he went into Greystone Chapel and meditated, prayed there for a little bit. it was small, held maybe 40, 50 people. he was going to record a song called Greystone Chapel written by one of the inmates, Glen sherley. he cared about the prisoners a lot. he cared about the conditions and tried to help improve them. Johnny was never in prison. he got busted once for being drunk, peeing on the sidewalk, something like that – big deal – but never for a serious crime. the myth of Johnny is not the man.

Later, they asked me to go to san Quentin. they used somebody else’s shot for the album cover, more stylised. the shots on the back are mine. san Quentin is where i got the finger at the soundcheck. that is probably the most ripped off photograph in the history of the world. there was a tV crew behind me and John was on the side of the stage. i said, “John, let’s do a shot for the warden.” he flipped out the bird. three frames, a .21 millimetre lens. i don’t know if the film crew caught it. elton John bought all three frames.

Billy roberts, who wrote hey Joe, and i had written a song called hang out With me. it was a folk song. i wanted John and June to

cut it. they invited us down for thanksgiving, along with tom Jans, who wrote Lovin’ arms. Johnny cut that for tommy. they cut hang out With me like a ballad. i was too intimidated by Cash to say, “hey, do it like Jackson.” What can you say to Cash?

i went down to photograph the first episode of the aBC-tV series, the Johnny Cash show, at ryman auditorium, home of nashville’s Grand ole opry. it was a very big deal – Dylan’s first public appearance since his motorcycle crash.

at the rehearsal, one of Dylan’s men came up to me and said, “Bobby doesn’t want any pictures taken.”

i said, “Bobby knows me well enough that he could come up and ask me personally.”

“that’s not the way he does things,” the guy said.Just at that moment, June Carter comes by. our voices were get-

ting a little hot. June said, in a sweet voice, “Jim, what’s the matter?” “We don’t want any photos taken,” Dylan’s guy said. “Well, son,” June said, “who are you?” “i’m with Bob Dylan,” he said. “Jim is with me,” she said. “this is my tV show. Jim is my pho-

tographer and he can do whatever he wants.” Who’s going to say anything to June Carter?Dylan didn’t say shit. i shot the two of them from about 10 feet.over the years, i’ve done record covers with John, magazine

spreads. i can’t remember which. We’re talking about 30 years of photographs. i did Waylon Jennings at the house with him. a couple of Johnny’s kids came by. shot them. shot his mom and dad with him at the house. felt very comfortable. John trusted me.

funny story – about five years ago i got a call from steve Bing to shoot Jerry Lee Lewis in nashville. over the years our paths never crossed and yet Jerry had photographs of mine – Kristofferson, Cash, Waylon, Carl Perkins – in his house. Jerry said, “Jim, i’ve got to ask you a serious question. What took you so damn long to get around to me?”

Johnny had an edge. When John walked in a room, you knew he was there. there was a hint of danger, but i don’t think he was a violent man. you just knew he was there. he had a presence that very few artists have. i think it shows in the photographs.

he didn’t suffer fools gladly. he kept a close bunch of friends that were very tight to him. the people who loved him, loved him fiercely, and vice versa. his wife, June Carter, was his lifeline. i re-member when they got back together, about a year before the fol-som concerts. he stopped doing drugs. June kept him off the drugs and saved his life. i think the day she died, he died.

the eye of the storm

Johnny Cash stares down Jim Marshall, Folsom Prison, Represa CA, January 13, 1968.

Left: Johnny in his home studio with John Carter Cash, Hendersonville Tennessee, 1969.

Far left: Newport Folk Festival, 1969.

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you are my sunshine

With Bob Dylan in rehearsals for the Johnny Cash Show, June 1969.

“this song was written by glen sherley”Cash meets Mr Greystone Chapel, Folsom Prison, January 1968.

happiness is you

Johnny and June at the Newport Folk Festival, 1969.

i got stripes

Johnny Cash arriving at Folsom Prison, Represa CA, on January 13, 1968.

give my love to rose

With June Carter Cash at Folsom Prison, riding the prison bus, January 13, 1968.

Pocket Cash by Jim Marshall, published by Chronicle Books. An exhibition of limited edition prints from the book opens on March 1 at Snap Galleries, Piccadilly Arcade, London SW1Y 6HN. For more information visit www.jimmarshallphotographyllc.com ©

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