Cheri Snook, KVMR Volunteer Broadcaster and Producer, has worked with California State Prison Arts-in-Corrections program (AlC) since 2004 when she helped to bring Alaskan musician Buddy Tabor into New Folsom Prison for a live concert. Since then, Cheri has introduced prisoners enrolled in the AlC program to new music and poetry through contributions to the AlC music library and through guest poet workshops in the prison.

Michael Franti & Spearhead's music and poetry resonated with the prisoners, offering a positive message of hope in their reform process. Franti had played live concerts in other prisons, so when Cheri approached him and Guerilla Management, they were excited about the idea sa}ing, "We'd love to do it, we visualize in the future for prisons to be healing centers, creating a platform for those locked up to express themselves and tell their storya center for transformation."

In the summer of 2005, plans were made to hold a live concert in the C Yard Chapel at New Folsom Prison featuring Michael Franti & Spearhead and special guests Kimberly Bass, Melissa Mitchell and Diane Patterson, under the direction of Folsom's Arts- in-Corrections Program Director Jim Carlson and Cheri Snook. The prison also agreed to broadcast the concert on closed circuit TV to the general prison population.

On the morning of Thanksgiving Eve, 2005, the historic concert took place at the California state prison's New Folsom facility Michael Franti & Spearhead, with special guests, played for sixty prisoners and forty prison officials and guests. Nearly 3,500 prisoners watched via closed circuit TV. The concert was recorded and rebroadcast on KVMR FM later that day and made available to community radio stations across the country.

Michael Franti and Spearhead
Live From New Folsom Prison

2-CD Track listing