04-08-2020, 12:27 AM
John Prine (October 10, 1946–April 7, 2020), a renowned singer-songwriter has left us at age 73. Born and raised in the Chicago suburb of Maywood, Mr. Prine was a local mail carrier when he burst on the music scene. He was often inspired by things he witnessed while on his mail route. He began his career playing in folk clubs in and around Chicago, most notably one known as the Earl of Old Town, which also was musical home to folks like Steve Goodman and Bonnie Koloc, the former of whom is now known for his Cubs anthem as well as the oft-covered “City of New Orleans”. It was in fact Goodman who, while sharing a bill with Kris Kristofferson at the Quiet Knight (I attended one of those shows) that said that Kris just had to hear his friend Prine. This led to a nearly instant recording contract. His premier album featured the classics “Hello in There”, “Sam Stone” and “Angel from Montgomery”, a song told from a woman’s point of view which has been covered by many female artists including Bonnie Raitt and Tanya Tucker.
In later years he moved to Nashville to further creative interests and then became mainly a country performer. Among his later efforts were “Unwed Fathers”, “Speed of the Sound of Loneliness”, and “In Spite of Ourselves”, a duet with Iris DeMent.
In 2010 Mr. Prine shared a bill with Lucinda Williams. Both these artists managed to become music superstars despite being largely ignored by mainstream radio as being too country for rock and too rock for country. They may have been the first superstars of the more recently christened hybrid Americana genre.
Mr. Prine underwent throat surgery in 1998 and lung surgery in 2013. His passing comes as a result of the COVID-19 virus. It was revealed that his wife Fiona, who survives him, was diagnosed with the virus as well. He has been lauded as a songwriter’s songwriter by none other than Bob Dylan.
“
In later years he moved to Nashville to further creative interests and then became mainly a country performer. Among his later efforts were “Unwed Fathers”, “Speed of the Sound of Loneliness”, and “In Spite of Ourselves”, a duet with Iris DeMent.
In 2010 Mr. Prine shared a bill with Lucinda Williams. Both these artists managed to become music superstars despite being largely ignored by mainstream radio as being too country for rock and too rock for country. They may have been the first superstars of the more recently christened hybrid Americana genre.
Mr. Prine underwent throat surgery in 1998 and lung surgery in 2013. His passing comes as a result of the COVID-19 virus. It was revealed that his wife Fiona, who survives him, was diagnosed with the virus as well. He has been lauded as a songwriter’s songwriter by none other than Bob Dylan.
“