STARKVILLE – “Sounds like a hoot, lets do it.” If Johnny Cash were alive today, these are the words his sister Joanne Cash thinks he would say about attending the Johnny Cash Flower Pickin’ Festival in Starkville on Saturday.
People from as far away as California flocked to downtown to celebrate the life and legacy of Johnny Cash, who was jailed in Starkville after a 1965 concert for public drunkenness. Cash was picking flowers from a woman’s yard when he was arrested.
Robbie Ward, who planned and directed the three-day festival, said he’s been overwhelmed with the number of Cash fans who came from near and far to attend the festival.
“As a longtime Johnny Cash fan, it’s great to see all these people come down to Starkville, Mississippi, to celebrate Johnny,” said Ward. “To many people, his life was a sign of redemption and that’s why I think he’s so popular worldwide.”
Marshal Grant was Johnny Cash’s base player and good friend. He was in Starkville the day Cash decided to go flower picking and said that day really affected the singer’s life.
“It’s a little emotional for me to be here right now,” said Grant. “I was here with Johnny when he went to jail that morning and this is my first time being back in this town since that day. When Johnny got out that morning, his arrest played a big part in his life.”
So much so he wrote a song about the ordeal called, “Starkville City Jail.”
Grant spoke about a book he wrote, “I Was There When it Happened,” about the ordeal as a part of the festivities. Other events during the three-day celebration included a charity auction, outdoor movie, lectures, a social, music performances and more. Some event proceeds went to the Starkville/Oktibbeha Boys & Girls Club and the Oktibbeha County Heritage Museum.
Plenty of fans
Decked out from head to toe in Johnny Cash apparel, Carole McReynolds Davis of Starkville and her friend Jo Grayson of Brandon showed that they could “Walk the Line,” as diehard Cash fans.
“I’ve been a Johnny Cash fan for years,” said Davis. “I was here in 1965 when he got arrested. This is just a great thing to have here in Starkville.”
Cash’s sister Joanne had never set foot in Starkville until Saturday. Despite never being there, she said she felt like she knew all about the town from stories her brother had told her. In an attempt to walk in her brother’s immortal shoes, she decided to stop and pick a few flowers of her own.
“I told the policeman that I was going to pick some flowers and he said he wouldn’t arrest me,” said Joanne. “My brother would just love this if he were alive. He liked Starkville, and I can see why.”
Ward said Johnny Cash will be pardoned for his crime during the festival today at 10 a.m. at Mississippi State University, and if all goes well, he’ll be pardoned every year.
“If things go well with this festival, we hope to make Johnny the most pardoned man in the world,” said Ward. “We want to do this every year and if anyone deserves it, it’s Johnny Cash.”
Contact Daily Journal reporter Danza Johnson at 678-1583 or danza.johnson@djournal.com. |
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