The Pardon Johnny Cash Flower Pickin’ Festival, a three-day event honoring Johnny Cash, kicked off Friday with a lecture that set the theme for the weekend: redemption.John Hayes of the University of Georgia’s Department of History presented his dissertation “Johnny Cash: Sin and Redemption” to a small crowd of Cash fans in the Swalm Chemical Engineering Building.
Starkville resident Carol McReynolds-Davis attended the festival, clad in head-to-toe black with a guitar-shaped purse and a hat she decorated with a flower and other articles related to the festival.
“I thought [the lecture] was really good, and I’ve always loved the Man in Black,” she said.
Marvin Franklin said his family drove nine hours from Fort Worth, Texas for the festival.
“My wife and six kids are all big fans,” he said. “We saw his last performance, went to the funeral and drove down when his house burned.”
The MSU chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, where Cash performed before he was arrested for public drunkenness on May 11, 1965, opened its doors for the public to enjoy food, music and an auction Friday night.
Sophomore chemical engineering major Torrey McKeown, member of Pi Kappa Alpha, said items up for bidding included Johnny Cash’s eyeglasses, two books autographed by Cash, a Martin Johnny Cash addition guitar and other memorabilia.
“We had about 150 people turn out and raised more than $6,000 at the charity auction,” McKeown said.
McKeown said most of the items were bought by Dave Smith, a Cash impersonator from Clearwater, Fla., who drove 14 hours to take part in the festivities. Smith found out about the festival online. “I started doing his voice when I was 16, and I’ve been doing it for 47 years now,” Smith said.
Other funds were raised for the Boys and Girls Club and Heritage Museum at the entryway to the festival, where a $10 donation was suggested.
Later that night, Cash’s daughter Joanna pledged the $36 check the County Board of Supervisors presented her to reimburse her father for the money he lost while in Starkville.
“This $36 is going to the Boys [and Girls] club on behalf of Johnny Cash, and I challenge all of you to try to donate $36 too; but if you can’t, a dollar is platinum.”
Music groups such as headliner Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives, Sweetwater Jade, Nash Street and a lineup of other country, gospel, bluegrass and jazz acts took the stage Saturday who were all wearing black to honor Cash.
Chris McDonald, one of the two men who founded popular downtown restaurant Mugshots, was in town for the festival, manning a grill and enjoying the festivities.
“It’s a lot more for the first year than I expected,” he said. “I’m impressed by the things they’ve done, and I think it’s a great thing to build on year to year.”
Mayor Dan Camp took the main stage later in the night to offer a symbolic pardon saying that Cash’s life represented the very idea of redemption.
Joanna Cash accepted the award and told the audience she was very proud of the festival and asked the crowd to support the festival because she desires to come back every year.
To finish off the night, all the musicians still at the festival and Cash’s family joined Stuart on stage for a touching rendition of “Amazing Grace.