Headliners named for ’09 Johnny Cash Flower Pickin’ Fest Justin Townes Earle will perform an acoustic set at the Flower Pickin’ Festival after having returned from a tour in Australia. / Courtesy
When Carlene Carter and Justin Townes Earle enter the Starkville city limits as they prepare to perform at the third annual Johnny Cash Flower Pickin' Festival, they'll do their best to do what the "Man in Black" couldn't during his visit here more than 40 years ago -- spend the night somewhere else besides the county jail.
Carter and Earle, both blessed with singing and performing abilities and musical family legacies, will headline the Mississippi festival with a history steeped in myth, music, lies, truth, redemption, laughter and an appreciation for quality entertainment. Carter said in a recent interview she feels honored to perform at the festival in a city where if she doesn't walk the line she just might find herself in the wrong part of the Starkville city jail.
Johnny Cash was arrested in Starkville in 1965 after performing a concert at Mississippi State University and a long night of carousing at parties on the campus and in the city. While authorities arresting Cash accused him of public drunkenness while on private property, he explained the situation by saying he was simply "pickin' flowers." Of the seven places where Cash was arrested, he only wrote a song about the Starkville experience, in the piece titled "Starkville City Jail."
Carter, daughter to Cash's longtime wife and companion, June Carter Cash, said she expects no trouble with the law during her time in Starkville but said she has one point to make clear to the community.
"There should never be a law against picking flowers," said the Grammy-nominated singer.
Breaking with the festival tradition of Starkville and Oktibbeha County officials issuing symbolic pardons to Cash's family and friends on his behalf, this year Cash's family, friends and fans will issue their own symbolic pardon to the community.
Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman said he'll gladly accept the symbolic pardon on behalf of the city as part of the three-day festival.
"We've pardoned them twice already," said Wiseman, who was elected earlier this year. "It's time for Starkville to get a taste of forgiveness related to our city's colorful past."
Townes Earle is the son of country and folk singer Steve Earle. Johnny Cash's friendship with Steve Earle is well documented, particularly how Earle appreciated Cash's loyalty when he served time in prison related to illegal drugs.
Cash himself suffered much of his life from an amphetamine addiction and spoke to a variety of groups -- from Billy Graham Crusades to inmates in prisons -- about the perils of worldly temptations.
Townes Earle, named after legendary musician Townes Van Zant, has experienced his own struggles with addiction, now living clean for five years. Having released his second album, Townes Earle will perform an acoustic set at the Flower Pickin' Festival after having returned from a tour in Australia.
Carter's musical career dates to 1978 and has included traditional country and top 40 genres, although she continues to resist limiting her singing and songwriting to those styles of music.
Along with Earle and Carter, a full lineup of other performers and a schedule of the three-day music festival soon will be released.
For more information about the festival, which has been written about by The New York Times, BBC, National Public Radio and PASTE magazine and dozens of news organizations, visit its Web site at pardonjohnnycash.com and follow it on Twitter at twitter.com/flowerpickin.
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