My edition: Audible Owned
Time: 2h 22m
Series: Standalone
Genre: Non-fiction, Music
Publish: Audible Original Dec. 12, 2018
Rating: 3 stars
Synopsis:
This is the story of one of the greatest records ever made – Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison – and its shocking and tragic aftermath. Join award-winning journalist Danny Robins on the 50th anniversary of the album as he takes you on a road trip back to 1968, a pivotal year in US history, to investigate the dramatic and unlikely friendship between Johnny Cash, American icon, and Glen Sherley, armed robber and Folsom inmate; and how that friendship was violently torn apart.
This five-part series features narration, interviews, and dramatic reconstruction to explore aspects of the story that have, until now, not been widely known.
Please note: contains strong language and adult content.
As an Audio Show – free for members – when you add Folsom Untold: The Strange True Story of Johnny Cash’s Greatest Album – to your library, you’ll get all five episodes, each with a runtime of about 30 minutes.
Review:
I am new to the audio book world. This year I have challenged myself to read or listen to five audio books. As the first book of the year, I thought it was an okay story.
The narrator tried to make this seem like it was such a big mystery but really it’s just a story not many know. Plus his voice reminded me of a mix between the guy who played the pharaoh in the second Night at the Museum, you know, the one with the lisp and one of the nature documentary narrators.
While I do know who Glen Sherley is, I didn’t know how or when he died. Nor did I know the story behind his and Johnny’s friendship. I wouldn’t say I’m a huge Johnny Cash fan because I didn’t know Glen Sherley lived with Johnny. Plus Johnny was best man at Sherley’s wedding. Wy sure did though. When I explained what I was listening to and what it was about, all I had to say was the guy wrote Greystone Chapel, and went to live with Johnny. Wy’s answer… Oh yeah Glen Sherley. Glad he knew.
While this was insightful, and I learned much, I really couldn’t get past the narrator’s voice. I loved the music mixed in and I loved the recordings of him and his producer interviewing everyone. He just made the story seem so big and so important to know when in reality it’s a tragic real life story of a man who helped another out of prison and into a music career. But that man couldn’t re enter into citizen life.
If you like Johnny Cash I recommend. The story goes into Johnny’s life right before the album, during the album, and after the album.
The Kansan Reader 