AUGUST 26, 2009 10:58:00 AM
TIM PRATT
During each of the past two Johnny Cash Flower Pickin’ Festivals, the city of Starkville and Oktibbeha County have granted symbolic pardons to the family of Johnny Cash, who was arrested in Starkville in 1965 and later wrote a song about the ordeal: “Starkville City Jail.”
At this year’s event, set to take place Oct. 16-18 in downtown Starkville, festival organizers have a little something different in store. Cash’s family and friends will pardon the city.
“Before 2007, which was the first year of the festival, Johnny Cash’s family had only associated Starkville with the place that threw him in jail,” festival organizer Robbie Ward said. “His family associated Starkville as a place that incarcerated him and that was the largest frame of reference they had. This year, his family and friends will pardon the city as a way of saying how much they have embraced Starkville and its rich history with the ‘Man in Black.’”
“Forgiveness is a two-way street,” Ward added. “You have to ask for forgiveness, but you also have to forgive. We’re not making a statement that there’s anything wrong with the city. It’s tongue in cheek. We’re celebrating our relationship with Johnny Cash from a different perspective.”
Read complete article at Commercial Dispatch.
Looks like a whole lotta “mays”. Ain’t this thang just a few weeks away? Makes you wonder who the acts are gonna be if they are not already booked. Do ya’ll imagine the new board will give money for this if they are gonna turn right around and give their earnings to a charity like last year?