John Prine



















John Prine

John Prine by Ron Baker.jpg
Prine at MerleFest, Wilkesboro N.C. (2006)

Background information
Born
(1946-10-10) October 10, 1946 (age 72)
Maywood, Illinois United States
Genres
  • Country Folk

  • Bluegrass

  • Americana

Occupation(s)
  • Singer-songwriter

  • Guitarist

Instruments
  • Vocals

  • Guitar

Years active1971–present
Labels
  • Atlantic

  • Asylum

  • Oh Boy

  • Rhino

Associated acts
  • Steve Goodman

  • Iris DeMent

WebsiteJohnPrine.net

John Prine (born October 10, 1946) is an American country folk singer-songwriter. He has been active as a composer, recording artist, and live performer since the early 1970s, and is known for an often humorous style of country music that has elements of protest and social commentary.


Born and raised in Maywood, Illinois, Prine learned to play the guitar at the age of 14. He attended classes at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music.[1] After serving in West Germany with the U.S. armed forces, he moved to Chicago in the late 1960s, where he worked as a mailman, writing and singing songs as a hobby.


A part of the city's folk revival, he was discovered by Kris Kristofferson, resulting in the production of Prine's self-titled debut album with Atlantic Records in 1971. After receiving critical acclaim, Prine focused on his musical career, recording three more albums for Atlantic. He then signed to Asylum Records, where he recorded an additional three albums. In 1984 he co-founded Oh Boy Records, an independent record label with which he would release most of his subsequent albums. After his battle with squamous cell cancer in 1998, Prine's vocals deepened into a gravelly voice.


Widely cited as one of the most influential songwriters of his generation, Prine is known for humorous lyrics about love, life, and current events, as well as serious songs with social commentary, or which recollect melancholy tales from his life.




Contents





  • 1 Early life


  • 2 Career

    • 2.1 1970s


    • 2.2 1980s


    • 2.3 1990s


    • 2.4 2000s


    • 2.5 2010s



  • 3 Personal life


  • 4 Influence


  • 5 Awards and honors

    • 5.1 Association for Independent Music (AFIM)


    • 5.2 Grammy Awards


    • 5.3 Americana Music Honors & Awards


    • 5.4 Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame


    • 5.5 UK's BBC Radio 2


    • 5.6 PEN/Song Lyrics Award


    • 5.7 International Bluegrass Music Awards



  • 6 Discography

    • 6.1 Albums


    • 6.2 Guest singles


    • 6.3 Videos


    • 6.4 Music videos



  • 7 References


  • 8 External links




Early life


Prine is the son of William Prine and Verna Hamm. He started playing guitar at age 14, taught by his brother, David.[2] He attended classes at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music.[3] Prine attended Proviso East High School in Maywood, Illinois. He was a mailman for five years and served in the Army during the Vietnam War era, serving in Germany, before beginning his musical career in Chicago.


In the late-1960s, while Prine was delivering mail, he began to sing at open mic evenings at the Fifth Peg on Armitage Avenue in Chicago. Prine was initially a spectator, reluctant to perform, but eventually did so in response to a "You think you can do better?" comment made to him by another performer.[4]Chicago Sun-Times movie critic Roger Ebert heard him there and wrote the first review Prine ever received, calling him a great songwriter.[5] He became a central figure in the Chicago folk revival, which also included such singer-songwriters as Steve Goodman, Michael Peter Smith, Bonnie Koloc, Jim Post, Tom Dundee, Anne Hills and Fred Holstein. Joined by such established musicians as Jethro Burns and Bob Gibson, Prine performed frequently at a variety of Chicago clubs—including the Earl of Old Town, the Quiet Knight, Somebody Else's Troubles, The Fifth Peg, and the Bulls.



Career



1970s


In 1971 Prine's self-titled debut album was released. He and friend Steve Goodman had each been active in the Chicago folk scene before being "discovered" by Kris Kristofferson (Kristofferson remarked that Prine wrote songs so good that "we'll have to break his thumbs").[6] The album included his signature songs "Illegal Smile," "Sam Stone," and the folk and country standards "Angel from Montgomery" and "Paradise." The album also featured "Hello In There," a song about aging that was later covered by numerous artists, and "Far From Me", a lonely waltz about lost love for a waitress that Prine later said was his favorite of all his songs. The album received many positive reviews, and some hailed Prine as "the next Dylan." Bob Dylan himself appeared unannounced at one of Prine's first New York City club appearances, anonymously backing him on harmonica.


Prine's second album, Diamonds In The Rough, was a surprise for many after the critical success of his first LP; it was an uncommercial, stripped-down affair that reflected Prine's fondness for bluegrass music and features songs reminiscent of Hank Williams. Highlights include the allegorical "The Great Compromise," which includes a recitation and addresses the Vietnam War, and the ballad "Souvenirs," which Prine later recorded with Goodman.


Subsequent albums include Sweet Revenge (1973), containing such fan favorites as "Dear Abby," "Grandpa Was a Carpenter," and "Christmas in Prison," and Common Sense (1975), with "Come Back to Us Barbara Lewis Hare Krishna Beauregard". The latter album was Prine's first to be charted in the US Top 100 by Billboard, reflecting growing commercial success. It was produced by Steve Cropper. Many veteran Prine fans view the release of 1978's Bruised Orange as a creative highpoint.[citation needed] The Steve Goodman-produced album gave listeners songs such as "The Hobo Song," "Sabu Visits the Twin Cities Alone," and the title track.


In 1974, singer David Allan Coe achieved considerable success on the country charts with "You Never Even Called Me By My Name", co-written by Prine and Goodman. The song good-naturedly spoofs stereotypical country music lyrics. Prine refused to take a songwriter's credit and the tune went to Goodman, although Goodman bought Prine a jukebox as a gift from his publishing royalties.[7]


In 1975, Prine toured the U.S. and Canada with a full band featuring guitarist Arlen Roth. As of 2014[update], this has been Prine's only tour with a full band.


The 1979 album Pink Cadillac features two songs produced by Sun Records founder Sam Phillips, who by this time rarely did any studio work. The first song, "Saigon," is about a Vietnam vet traumatized by the war ("The static in my attic's gettin' ready to blow"). During the recording, one of the guitar amps blew up (which is evident on the album track). The other song Phillips produced is "How Lucky," about Prine's hometown.



1980s


Prine continued writing and recording albums throughout the 1980s and formed his own record label, Oh Boy Records. His songs continued to be covered by other artists; the country supergroup The Highwaymen recorded "The Twentieth Century Is Almost Over," which had been written by Prine and Goodman. Steve Goodman died of leukemia in 1984 and Prine continues to perform many of Goodman's songs in concert to this day, such as "My Old Man."



1990s


In 1991, Prine released the Grammy Award-winning The Missing Years, his first collaboration with producer and Heartbreakers bassist Howie Epstein. The title song records Prine's humorous take on what Jesus did in the unrecorded years between his childhood and ministry. In 1995, Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings was released, another collaboration with Epstein. Prine followed in 1999 with In Spite of Ourselves, which was unusual for him in that it contained only one original song; the rest were covers of classic country songs. All of the tracks are duets with well-known female country vocalists, including Lucinda Williams, Emmylou Harris, Dolores Keane, and Iris DeMent.



2000s


In 2001 Prine co-starred in the Billy Bob Thornton movie Daddy & Them. "In Spite of Ourselves" can be heard as the end credits roll.


Prine recorded a version of Stephen Foster's "My Old Kentucky Home" in 2004 for the compilation album Beautiful Dreamer, which won the Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album in 2004.


In 2005, Prine released his first all-new offering since Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings, the album Fair & Square, which tended toward a more laid-back, acoustic approach. The album contains songs such as "Safety Joe," about a man who has never taken any risks in his life, and also "Some Humans Ain't Human," Prine's protest piece on the album, which talks about the ugly side of human nature and includes a quick shot at President George W. Bush. Fair & Square won the 2005 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. The album contains original songs plus two covers: A.P. Carter's "Bear Creek Blues" and Blaze Foley's "Clay Pigeons."



2010s


On June 22, 2010, Oh Boy Records released a tribute album titled Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows: The Songs of John Prine. The album features members of the modern folk revival including My Morning Jacket, The Avett Brothers, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, Old Crow Medicine Show, Lambchop, Josh Ritter, Drive-By Truckers, Nickel Creek's Sara Watkins, Deer Tick featuring Liz Isenberg, Justin Townes Earle, Those Darlins, and Bon Iver's Justin Vernon.[8]


In 2016, Prine was named winner of the PEN/Song Lyrics Award, given to two songwriters every other year by the PEN New England chapter. The 2016 award was shared with Tom Waits and his songwriting collaborator wife Kathleen Brennan. Judges for the award included Peter Wolf, Rosanne Cash, Paul Simon, Elvis Costello and others, as well as literary judge Salman Rushdie.[9] In 2016, Prine released For Better, or Worse, a follow-up to In Spite of Ourselves from 1999. The album featured country music covers featuring some of the most prominent female voices in the genre including Alison Krauss, Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves and Lee Ann Womack among others, as well as Iris DeMent, the only artist to be featured on both albums.


On March 15, 2017 The American Currents exhibit opened at the Country Music Hall of Fame. The exhibit featured a pair of cowboy boots and jacket that he often wore on stage, his personal guitar and the original handwritten lyric to his hit, "Angel From Montgomery." The American Currents Class of 2016 showcased artists who made a significant impact on country music in 2016, including Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Ross Copperman, The Earls of Leicester, Brett Eldredge, Florida Georgia Line, Mickey Guyton, Natalie Hemby, Sierra Hull, Jason Isbell, Miranda Lambert, Jim Lauderdale, Shane McAnally, Lori McKenna, William Michael Morgan, Maren Morris, Jon Pardi, Dolly Parton, Margo Price, John Prine, RaeLynn, Chris and Morgane Stapleton and Randy Travis. Prine won his second Artist of the Year award at the 2017 Americana Music Honors & Awards after previously winning in 2005.


On February 8, 2018, Prine announced his first new album of original material in 13 years, titled The Tree of Forgiveness, would be released on April 13. Produced by Dave Cobb, the album was released on Prine's own Oh Boy Records and features guest artists Jason Isbell, Amanda Shires, Dan Auerbach and Brandi Carlile. Alongside the announcement, Prine released the track "Summer's End".[10] The album became Prine's highest-charting album on the Billboard 200.[11]



Personal life


In early 1998, Prine was diagnosed with squamous cell cancer on the right side of his neck. He had major surgery to remove a substantial amount of diseased tissue, followed by six weeks of radiation therapy.[12] The surgery removed a piece of his neck and severed a few nerves in his tongue, while the radiation damaged some salivary glands. A year of recuperation and speech therapy was necessary before he could perform again.[13] The operation altered his vocals, and has added a gravelly tone to his voice.[14]


In 2013, Prine learned he had cancer in his left lung and underwent surgery to remove it. After the surgery, a physical therapist put him through an unusual workout to build stamina: Prine was required to run up and down his house stairs, grab his guitar while still out of breath and sing two songs. Six months later, he was touring again.[15]


Prine currently resides in Nashville with his third wife, Fiona Whelan. They have three children, stepson Jody Whelan, Tommy and Jack. Prine also has residences in Gulfport, Florida, and Galway, Ireland.



Influence


Prine is widely regarded as one of the most influential songwriters of his generation.


In 2009, Bob Dylan told The Huffington Post that Prine was one of his favorite writers, stating "Prine's stuff is pure Proustian existentialism. Midwestern mindtrips to the nth degree. And he writes beautiful songs. I remember when Kris Kristofferson first brought him on the scene. 'Sam Stone' featuring the wonderfully evocative line: 'There’s a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes, and Jesus Christ died for nothing I suppose.'[16] All that stuff about "Sam Stone," the soldier junkie daddy, and "Donald and Lydia", where people make love from ten miles away. Nobody but Prine could write like that."[17]


Johnny Cash, in his autobiography Cash, wrote, "I don't listen to music much at the farm, unless I'm going into songwriting mode and looking for inspiration. Then I'll put on something by the writers I've admired and used for years--Rodney Crowell, John Prine, Guy Clark, and the late Steve Goodman are my Big Four..."[18]


Roger Waters, when asked by Word Magazine in 2008 if he heard Pink Floyd's influence in newer British bands like Radiohead, replied, "I don't really listen to Radiohead. I listened to the albums and they just didn't move me in the way, say, John Prine does. His is just extraordinarily eloquent music—and he lives on that plane with Neil Young and Lennon."[19]


2004 saw Prine's song "Sam Stone" covered by Laura Cantrell for the Future Soundtrack for America compilation.



Awards and honors


In 2005, at the request of U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser, John Prine became the first singer/songwriter to read and perform at the Library of Congress.[20] In October and November 2018, Prine was nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In January 2019, he was announced as one of the inductees for the Songwriters Hall of Fame.



Association for Independent Music (AFIM)


























Year
Award
Nominated Works
Result
1991
AFIM Indie Award for Folk Music

The Missing Years
Won
1992
AFIM Indie Award for Video of the Year
"Picture Show"
Won
1993
AFIM Indie Award for Best Seasonal Music

A John Prine Christmas
Won
1995
AFIM Indie Award for Rock Music

Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings
Won
1995
AFIM Indie Award for Short Form Video
"Ain't Hurtin' Nobody"
Won


Grammy Awards






























Year
Award
Nominated Works
Result
1973
Best New Artist
John Prine
Nominated
1986
Best Contemporary Folk Recording

German Afternoons
Nominated
1992
Best Contemporary Folk Album

The Missing Years
Won
1998
Best Contemporary Folk Album

Live On Tour
Nominated
2006
Best Contemporary Folk Album

Fair & Square
Won
2015
Hall of Fame Award
John Prine
Won


Americana Music Honors & Awards

















Year
Award
Nominated Works
Result
2003
Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting
John Prine
Won
2005
Artist of the Year
Won
2017
Won
2018
Won


Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame








Nominated Works
Result
2003
Hall of Fame Induction
John Prine
Won


UK's BBC Radio 2










Year
Award
Nominated Works
Result
2003
Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting
John Prine
Won


PEN/Song Lyrics Award










Year
Award
Nominated Works
Results
2016
PEN/Song Lyrics Award
John Prine
Won


International Bluegrass Music Awards










Year
Award
Nominated Works
Results
2008
Recorded Event of the Year

Standard Songs for Average People
Nominated


Discography



Albums























































































































































































Year
Album
Peak chart positions
Label

US
[21]

US Country
[22]

US Indie
[23]

US Rock
[24]

US Folk
[25]
1971

John Prine
154





Atlantic
1972

Diamonds in the Rough
148




1973

Sweet Revenge
135




1975

Common Sense
66




1976

Prime Prine: The Best of John Prine
196




1978

Bruised Orange
116





Asylum
1979

Pink Cadillac
152




1980

Storm Windows
144




1984

Aimless Love






Oh Boy
1986

German Afternoons





1988

John Prine Live





1991

The Missing Years





1993

Great Days: The John Prine Anthology






Rhino

A John Prine Christmas






Oh Boy
1995

Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings
159




1997

Live on Tour





1999

In Spite of Ourselves
197
21



2000

Souvenirs





2005

Fair & Square
55

2


2007

Standard Songs for Average People
(with Mac Wiseman)


37


2010

In Person & On Stage
85


27
1
2011

Singing Mailman Delivers
94

20
22
4
2016

For Better, or Worse
30
2
7

5
2018

The Tree of Forgiveness
5
2
2
2
1


Guest singles

















Year
Single
Artist
Peak positions
Album

US Country
1992
"Sweet Suzanne"
Buzzin' Cousins
68

Falling from Grace soundtrack
2013
"Yes We Will"

Maria Doyle Kennedy
-

Sing


Videos








Year
Title
Label
2001

John Prine – Live from Sessions at West 54th

Oh Boy Records Music Video


Music videos



















Year
Video
Director
1992
"Picture Show"[26]Jim Shea
"Sweet Suzanne" (Buzzin' Cousins)


Marty Callner
1993
"Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness" (featuring Nanci Griffith)

Rocky Schenck
1995
"Ain't Hurtin' Nobody"[27]Jim Shea
2016
"I'm Telling You"[28]
(featuring Holly Williams)
Joshua Britt/Neilson Hubbard


References




  1. ^ "John Prine OTSFM Registration Card". Old Town School of Folk Music. 1964-09-17. Retrieved 2018-04-26..mw-parser-output cite.citationfont-style:inherit.mw-parser-output .citation qquotes:"""""""'""'".mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registrationcolor:#555.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration spanborder-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output code.cs1-codecolor:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-errordisplay:none;font-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-errorfont-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-maintdisplay:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-formatfont-size:95%.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-leftpadding-left:0.2em.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-rightpadding-right:0.2em


  2. ^ "John Prine Information". Shrout.co.uk. 1946-10-10. Retrieved 2011-03-15.


  3. ^ "John Prine OTSFM Registration Card". Old Town School of Folk Music. 1964-09-17. Retrieved 2018-04-26.


  4. ^ "The Devil's Music: John Prine – S/T – 1971". Devildick.blogspot.de. 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2013-06-15.


  5. ^ "Roger Ebert's Journal: "John Prine: American Legend"". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 23 February 2015.


  6. ^ Chilton, Martin. "John Prine: I Find the Human Condition Funny; John Prine, One of Bob Dylan's Favourite Songwriters, Is Appearing in the UK and Ireland. Here He Talks to Martin Chilton." Daily Telegraph [London, England] February 8, 2013, Web Edition Articles ed.: Print.


  7. ^ From a WNEW-FM radio show, 1987. John Prine told the story behind the song, You Never Even Called Me By My Name, including mentioning that Steve Goodman bought him a 1942 Wurlitzer Victory model jukebox. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMiLqHTvbKE


  8. ^ "Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows: The Songs of John Prine; Oh Boy Records". brokenheartsanddirtywindows.com. Retrieved 2012-02-18.


  9. ^ PEN+NE Song Lyric Award page http://www.pen-ne.org/lyrics/


  10. ^ Ganz, Jacob (February 8, 2018). "John Prine To Release His First Album Of New Songs In 13 Years". NPR.


  11. ^ Caulfield, Keith (April 22, 2018). "Jason Aldean Scores Fourth No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart With 'Rearview Town'". Billboard.


  12. ^ "John Prine personal letter to his fans about his cancer". Jpshrine.org. Retrieved 2011-03-15.


  13. ^ "John Prine Endures, With a Half-Smile and a Song". New York Times. April 6, 2016.


  14. ^ John Prine concert reviews Archived May 26, 2011, at the Wayback Machine June 4, 2005


  15. ^ "John Prine Endures, With a Half-Smile and a Song". New York Times. April 6, 2016.


  16. ^ "Prine, John", Encyclopedia of Popular Music, 4th ed. Ed. Colin Larkin. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press. Web. September 27, 2014 http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/epm/22546


  17. ^ Flanagan, Bill (April 15, 2009). "Bob Dylan Exclusive Interview: Reveals His Favorite Songwriters, Thoughts On His Own Cult Figure Status". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2009-07-12.


  18. ^ Cash, Johnny; Carr (2003). Cash. Patrick. HarperCollins. p. 189.


  19. ^ "Word Interview Exclusive: Roger Waters". Word Magazine. April 13, 2008. Archived from the original on October 24, 2008. Retrieved July 12, 2009.


  20. ^ "A Literary Evening with John Prine and Ted Kooser". Library of Congress. March 9, 2005. Retrieved 2018-05-22.


  21. ^ "Billboard 200". Billboard 200.


  22. ^ "John Prine Chart History: Country Albums". Billboard. Retrieved April 24, 2018.


  23. ^ "John Prine Chart History: Independent Albums". Billboard. Retrieved April 24, 2018.


  24. ^ "John Prine Chart History: Rock Albums". Billboard. Retrieved April 24, 2018.


  25. ^ "John Prine Chart History: Americana/Folk Albums". Billboard. Retrieved April 24, 2018.


  26. ^ "CMT : Videos : John Prine : Picture Show". Country Music Television. Retrieved September 16, 2016.


  27. ^ "CMT : Videos : John Prine : Ain't Hurtin' Nobody". Country Music Television. Retrieved September 16, 2016.


  28. ^ "CMT : Videos : John Prine, Holly Williams : I'm Telling You (feat. Holly Williams)". Country Music Television. Retrieved September 16, 2016.



External links




  • Official website


  • A Literary Evening with John Prine and Ted Kooser. March 9, 2005. The Poetry and Literature Center at the Library of Congress.


  • John Prine on IMDb

  • John Prine on Discogs







Awards
Preceded by
Billy Joe Shaver

AMA Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting
2003
Succeeded by
Cowboy Jack Clement
Preceded by
Loretta Lynn

AMA Artist of the Year
2005
Succeeded by
Neil Young








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