Pardon Johnny Cash – Flower Pickin' Festival

May 11, 1965

Johnny Cash was arrested for public drunkenness in Starkville, MS in the early morning of May 11, 1965 following a performance at Mississippi State University. He spent one night in jail and paid a fine of $36.

Febrary 24, 1969

Cash sang about his run-in with “the law” in Starkville on his album, “At San Quentin (The Complete Live Concert),” recorded in 1969.

September 12, 2004

As a reporter for the for the Starkville Bureau of the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, Robbie Ward had heard of Cash’s exploits in town and wanted to find a local story to commemorate the first anniversary of his passing. After months of research, Ward found what he was looking for. It turns out that a young man named “Smokey” Evans shared the cell with Cash back on 1965, and Ward was the first to interview him about that night.

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At this point, Ward felt that there was still another chapter to be written in this story. For millions of fans, the life of Johnny Cash is a model of redemption. With this in mind, Ward approached Starkville City officials with the idea of issuing a symbolic pardon to the “Man in Black.”

November 2-4, 2007

At the first Johnny Cash Flower Pickin’ Festival, fans from all over the world join the Cash family and friends on Main Street in Starkville for “Three Days to Celebrate On Night in Jail.” Marty Stuart headlined a full day of music on Saturday, and Johnny’s sister Joanne Cash lead a Sunday Gospel redemption performance.

The City of Starkville and local law enforcement officials issued a symbolic pardon to Johnny Cash, with an expiration date of one year, ensuring that the .

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