Behind These Walls

Renowned folklorist and scholar Bruce Jackson writes in the liner notes that he first met Hank Ferguson, an inmate nearing his release, at a visit to Indiana State Penitentiary during his 15-year long project to document prison culture. Ferguson's songs, a mix of originals and covers in a country style, were recorded at his Tennessee home shortly after the end of his sentence. Together, this collection paints a harrowing portrait of prison life and its toll, exemplified by the record's first track "I'm Not Living, I'm Just Lasting While I'm Here".