A tribute concert at Folsom State Prison marking the 40th anniversary of Johnny Cash’s history-making concert there has been canceled by penitentiary officials due to security concerns.

A concert which would have commemorated Johnny Cash’s famous performance at Folsom State Prison in California four decades ago was called off late Monday, with prison officials saying there are problems over filming rights, media access and security concerns, reports the Associated Press.

The concert’s promoter, Jonathan Holiff, commented that the cancellation was an unexpected blow. “I was in tears when I found out,” Holiff told the Associated Press.

Johnny Cash performed many free performances in California prisons for inmates during the 1960s. He performed before prison mates in Folsom’s cafeteria on Jan. 13, 1968. The Columbia recording of that performance became the album “Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison.”

Another gig, this time at San Quentin State Prison, was recorded by Columbia in 1969 and released as “Johnny Cash at San Quentin.” Both albums were hugely successful, selling million of copies and topping the charts.

The cancelled tribute concert was scheduled to take place this Sunday, Jan. 13, and drummer W. S. “Fluke” Holland, one of Cash’s original backup musicians, was to participate. The concert was to be streamed over the Internet to benefit four non-profit groups that would have shared profits from the event.

Joe Avila, executive director of Prison Fellowship Ministries, which had helped underwrite the event, noted that “the whole Johnny Cash story is one of redemption.”

“Johnny was wild at heart, just like these men. But just like him, they can change. They can walk the line,” he said.

Fans of Johnny Cash as well as the inmates will have no tribute concert to enjoy this year as Folsom authorities and the event’s promoter were ultimately unable to organize the show in a satisfactory manner for both sides.

Oscar Hidalgo, a spokesman for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in Sacramento, told the Los Angeles Times that the concert’s promoter wanted exclusive rights over the event’s filming and had changed the details numerous times over four months of planning, finally leading prison officials to worry about security.

“This is a prison,” Hidalgo told the paper. “Our security instincts took over. We didn't want an incident. We were taking no chances.”

Holiff denied the allegation by saying he had actually proposed media access, only to be told by officials that they couldn’t have journalists “running around” Folsom, the Times reports.