The Best Live Albums Of All Time, Ranked

John Cash’s At Folsom Prison was his first live album ever released. It also helped to relaunch Cash’s career, which stalled thanks to substance abuse. After releasing his hit song “Folsom Prison Blues,” Cash wanted to record a live performance at a prison. The idea was put on hold until 1967, but it became a reality with Columbia Records.

Backed by June Carter, Carl Perkins, and the Tennessee Three, Cash performed two shows at Folsom State Prison in California in January of 1968. The live album had 15 songs from the first show and two from the second. In addition, a 50th Anniversary Edition of the live album was released in 2018.