September 13, 2007 11:12

Johnny Cash to receive pardon 42 years after his arrest

Late country legend to be honoured at US flower festival

Johnny Cash is to be honoured by Mississippi town Starkville, 42 years after he was arrested there and locked up in the cells for the night.

The Johnny Cash Flower Pickin' Festival will include a pardon for the singer, four years after his death.

It is reported that Cash was arrested in May 1965 whilst picking flowers from somebody’s garden in the town, inspiring him to write a song 'Starkville City Jail', which he performed at San Quentin prison.

Johnny Cash later wrote in his autobiography that he was arrested whilst walking from his motel to a grocery store after a party on the Mississippi State University campus.

"I was screaming, cussing, and kicking at the cell door all night long until I finally broke my big toe," he explained. "At 8am the next morning they let me out when they knew I was sober."

The festival has been organised by research writer Robbie Ward, who campaigned for two years to get the event backed by authorities.
The event is due to take place from November 2-4.