On Tuesday, it will be sixty-nine years to the day since Johnny Cash recorded one of his most famous songs, “Folsom Prison Blues”. To honour the occasion, one of our finest singer/songwriters, Jack Biilmann is releasing his own re-working of this timeless classic. We’re thrilled to be premiering it ahead of its release on Tuesday, that special anniversary.
The track became a staple in Cash’s setlist, usually opening the show. It was controversial because of the line “But I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die,” and was apparently pulled from radio stations after the assassination of Senator Robert Kennedy. His original recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001. There’s no doubt – it’s one of the classics!
This reprisal of “Folsom Prison Blues” is crammed with emotion, and you can feel the despair of the prisoner. “Well I know I had it coming, I know I can’t be free / But those people keep a-movin’ and that’s what tortures me”. It opens with much sorrow and introspection before Jack and The Black Tide let rip. The guitars are packed to the brim with all the feels; they feel tight, yet there is space to roam as the melody rolls on. There’s no doubt that this is a beautiful and inventive reworking.
“Folsom Prison Blues” is a crackin’ tune for Biilmann to showcase his rich gifts. He is in the upper echelon of guitar players in Australia. From visceral shredding on his electric guitar to delicate fingerpicking on an acoustic, he is able to transport the listener to the crux of the song seemingly effortlessly. His voice has a rich salt-of-the-earth character.
Biilmann has been in a rich vein of form in the past eighteen months. Jack re-recorded the fabulous “Hot Blood” from his outstanding 2023 album, Divided Mind with his killer band, The Black Tide. It found itself on rotation on Foxtel CMT. He signed with Harbour Agency, and scored an endorsement with Fender guitars. He also toured with the mighty Dan Sultan last year. Speaking of guitar legends, Joe Bonamassa added two of the songs to his personally curated playlists on Spotify.
Enjoy this mighty rendition of “Folsom Prison Blues”, and be sure to pre-save it HERE ahead of its release tomorrow.
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