Glen Sherley
Encyclopedia
Glen Milborn Sherley was a country
singer-songwriter, who famously penned "Greystone Chapel" made famous by Johnny Cash in 1968, when Cash performed the song live at Folsom Prison.
, who migrated to California in the 1940s to work in cotton fields, and on potato and other farms. Sherley was a youth offender, and through the 1950s and 1960s was frequently in and out of prison, for various crimes including one jailbreak. By the time he was discovered by Johnny Cash
in 1968 while serving time for armed robbery, Sherley had been an inmate of several state penitentiaries, including Chino
, Soledad
, San Quentin, and Folsom
.
by way of a Folsom minister who was a friend of Cash's, the night before he was due to appear in concert at Folsom
.
In an interview with Life Magazine
in 1994 titled "Country Rocks The Country", Johnny Cash said:
"Greystone Chapel" was recorded along with the rest of Cash's Folsom performance
, on January 13, 1968.
recorded another song written by Sherley, "Portrait Of My Woman". The song became the title track from Arnold's next release.
, with the permission of prison officials, leading to an offer from Johnny Cash
himself to join Cash's publishing organization, House of Cash. When Sherley was released from Folsom Prison in 1971, he was met at the gates by Cash.
When the documentary Flower Out of Place was filmed, showcasing Cash, Linda Ronstadt
and Roy Clark
performing at Tennessee State Prison, Sherley hosted the performance. Recent CD and DVD
releases of this movie excluded Sherley's performance, possibly due to time constraints.
According to Marshall Grant
, bass player and road manager for Cash, Sherley exhibited behavior that clearly indicated he was a pathological criminal. He casually made comments about killing members of the cast of Cash's show, and made threats. Cash himself became concerned about Sherley's potential for violence, and eventually dismissed him.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer-songwriter, who famously penned "Greystone Chapel" made famous by Johnny Cash in 1968, when Cash performed the song live at Folsom Prison.
Early life
Sherley was born in 1936, the son of farm workers in OklahomaOklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, who migrated to California in the 1940s to work in cotton fields, and on potato and other farms. Sherley was a youth offender, and through the 1950s and 1960s was frequently in and out of prison, for various crimes including one jailbreak. By the time he was discovered by Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
in 1968 while serving time for armed robbery, Sherley had been an inmate of several state penitentiaries, including Chino
California Institution for Men
California Institution for Men is a male-only state prison located in the city of Chino, San Bernardino County, California. It is often colloquially referenced as "Chino." In turn, locals call the prison "Chino Men's" or just "Men's" to avoid confusion with the city itself...
, Soledad
Soledad
Soledad is a Spanish word meaning solitude or loneliness. It is also a female given name. It may also refer to:-Places:* Soledad, California* Soledad, Atlántico, Colombia* Soledad Atzompa, Veracruz, Mexico* Soledad Correctional Training Facility...
, San Quentin, and Folsom
Folsom State Prison
Folsom State Prison is a California State Prison located in the city of Folsom, California, northeast from the state capital of Sacramento. Opened in 1880, Folsom is the second-oldest prison in the state of California after San Quentin and was the first in the country to have electricity...
.
Greystone Chapel
During the late 1960s, while still in prison, Sherley wrote and recorded "Greystone Chapel", in reference to the chapel within Folsom Prison, where he was an inmate at the time. On January 12, 1968 a copy of this recording made its way into the hands of Johnny CashJohnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
by way of a Folsom minister who was a friend of Cash's, the night before he was due to appear in concert at Folsom
At Folsom Prison
At Folsom Prison is a live album by Johnny Cash, released on Columbia Records in May 1968. Since his 1955 song "Folsom Prison Blues", Cash had been interested in performing at a prison. His idea was put on hold until 1967, when personnel changes at Columbia Records put Bob Johnston in charge of...
.
In an interview with Life Magazine
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
in 1994 titled "Country Rocks The Country", Johnny Cash said:
"Greystone Chapel" was recorded along with the rest of Cash's Folsom performance
At Folsom Prison
At Folsom Prison is a live album by Johnny Cash, released on Columbia Records in May 1968. Since his 1955 song "Folsom Prison Blues", Cash had been interested in performing at a prison. His idea was put on hold until 1967, when personnel changes at Columbia Records put Bob Johnston in charge of...
, on January 13, 1968.
Portrait Of My Woman
After the release of Greystone Chapel, Sherley's next major success came in 1971, when country singer Eddy ArnoldEddy Arnold
Richard Edward Arnold , known professionally as Eddy Arnold, was an American country music singer who performed for six decades. He was a so-called Nashville sound innovator of the late 1950s, and scored 147 songs on the Billboard country music charts, second only to George Jones. He sold more...
recorded another song written by Sherley, "Portrait Of My Woman". The song became the title track from Arnold's next release.
Success
Following the notoriety gained through the Arnold release, Glen Sherley was then offered the chance to record a live album, while still in prison. The album was a success when it was recorded and released by Mega RecordsMega Records
Mega Records was a Nashville, Tennessee-based music label that released albums by bands such as Apollo 100 and country and western singer Sammi Smith, as early as the early 1970s...
, with the permission of prison officials, leading to an offer from Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
himself to join Cash's publishing organization, House of Cash. When Sherley was released from Folsom Prison in 1971, he was met at the gates by Cash.
When the documentary Flower Out of Place was filmed, showcasing Cash, Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt is an American popular music recording artist. She has earned eleven Grammy Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, an ALMA Award, numerous United States and internationally certified gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums, in addition to Tony Award and Golden...
and Roy Clark
Roy Clark
Roy Linwood Clark is an American country music musician and performer. He is best known for hosting Hee Haw, a nationally televised country variety show, from 1969–1992. Clark has been an important and influential figure in country music, both as a performer and helping to popularize the genre...
performing at Tennessee State Prison, Sherley hosted the performance. Recent CD and DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
releases of this movie excluded Sherley's performance, possibly due to time constraints.
According to Marshall Grant
Marshall Grant
Marshall Garnett Grant was the upright bassist and electric bassist of singer Johnny Cash's original backing duo, the Tennessee Two, in which Grant and electric guitarist Luther Perkins played. The group became known as The Tennessee Three in 1960, with the addition of drummer W. S. Holland...
, bass player and road manager for Cash, Sherley exhibited behavior that clearly indicated he was a pathological criminal. He casually made comments about killing members of the cast of Cash's show, and made threats. Cash himself became concerned about Sherley's potential for violence, and eventually dismissed him.