You don’t hear many songs about prison buildings these days. I doubt they would sell as well on the radio and on Spotify.
But those problems didn’t exist back in the day, and singers like Johnny Cash could sing their hearts out about a place like Folsom State Prison – and people loved it.
And this cover of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” perfectly captures the loneliness and blue feeling of the original.
What is this titular prison that Johnny Cash sang about, though? Well, the Folsom State Prison is one of 34 prisons operated in California and was opened in 1880.
It’s been around for a long time, and Johnny Cash did perform the song to the inmates of the prison.
But just how well does this bass singer with his long locks perform the song?
This is Geoff Castellucci, a singer with one hell of a bass register.
He’s also got the confidence and talent to put his own spin on “Folsom Prison Blues”.
This might be spoiling things a bit, but I can tell you that he didn’t disappoint.
Geoff’s voice may be some octaves lower than Cash’s, but that’s what makes it so good.
His chest register and breath control are superb. With the magic of editing, he can even harmonize with himself.
That’s the sound of a real singer right there.
Geoff brought the harmonica along for the ride too. The prison vibes are a priority if he wants to do the song justice.
But even without the harmonica, his voice is doing a lot of the heavy lifting.
The bass notes come out flawlessly, and his duplicates take care of the baritone range.
Oh, but he can go even lower. Geoff takes the notes so low that the frogs outside might think he’s calling out to them.
Another thing he’s good at is giving the girls what they want to see.
He took off his sleeves in one of the video captures.
Hey, if it keeps them watching, he gets more ad revenue. Can’t say he’s not smart.
This isn’t the first time this song was performed in an actual prison either.
Johnny Cash performed it for the actual inmates of Folsom State Prison back in 1968.
But it wasn’t an actual visit to the prison that inspired the song.
Rather, Cash had seen the film “Inside The Walls of Folsom Prison” while serving in the army, and that inspired the song.
Geoff ends the performance with a showcase of just how low his voice can go.
In the foreground, one of his duplicates does pushups. Is he working out to stay in shape in prison, or to impress someone?
I can’t tell.
Still, a stellar performance with a voice type that you don’t hear too often. Tenors and sopranos get all the attention. Let’s not take the bass and baritones for granted.
Watch Geoff’s full cover below, and please share the article too!
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