Celebrating John Prine (Thread Started in 2017, Still Going Strong)

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by Ergoetal

Just a story here:

I play (in addition to guitar) Irish traditional fiddle. I was in the tiny western Irish town of Kinvara about 10 years ago, in the winter, staying for a week with some friends, and playing at local sessions. I was in a place called Greene's one night and a friend of mine, a guitar player, saw me at the bar and introduced me to a friend of his, named john. We chatted for a while and I thought this guy looked familiar, but I couldn't place him.

Then I went back to the session and started up again. After a while there was a small commotion at the other end of the long table we were sitting at and pretty soon the John fellow was urged to sit down and given a guitar.

I honestly forget what he did, but he sang a few songs. He was very shy, only doing the second and third because he was asked by the folks who by now were standing around him. You could hear the proverbial pin drop.

The funny thing was that there were a bunch of older local gents, listeners, in the pub as well, a few sitting near me. After the third song one said to the other, "He's pretty good, but it would be nice if they gave some of the local boys a chance, too."

Love this story.

The back story is John's wife Fiona hails from Ireland, so he and the wife and his sons tend to head over there every summer. At the same time he usually does some European dates, probably so he can take a tax write-off on the whole trip.

Great stuff, though. Thanks.

scott memmer

[tunit]

Originally Posted by AgentKooper

Scott, you should listen to this interview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15A0OfXZWJM

Thank you for the link. John Prine is one of the main reasons I picked up guitar. He's the man. If heartaches were commercials, we'd all be on TV or broken hearts and dirty windows make life difficult to see. A reason I cover so many of his songs.

[KevWind]

He is a giant talent as a songwriter
I have covered a number of his toons for years

Angel from Montgomery

Paradise (and now a derivative about Nat Gas drilling in the Pinedale anticline Wyoming)

Please Don't bury Me

Flag Decal

Take the Stars out of the window (best cover version is by "The Paperboys"

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by tunit

Thank you for the link. John Prine is one of the main reasons I picked up guitar. He's the man. If heartaches were commercials, we'd all be on TV or broken hearts and dirty windows make life difficult to see. A reason I cover so many of his songs.

You nailed it, tunit. Two of my favorite lines in all of American music. And I LOVE the opening line of "Barbara Lewis...."

"The last time I saw her, she was standing in the rain
With an overcoat under her arm, leaning on a horsehead cane

wow

[Winch2017]

JP is literally the soundtrack to my life. He is awesome. I play many of his tunes. I've seen him play too many times to count. I see him next in November in DC.

[fitness1]

a little Prine tongue-twister I recorded a couple years back -

https://app.box.com/s/04u0pi4v7niig7h5verp

[Coach Jim]

As I said before, the older I get the more I appreciate John Prine.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by Coach Jim

As I said before, the older I get the more I appreciate John Prine.

Yes, I can relate to that, for sure.

thanks, jim,

scott memmer

[rmoretti49]

When I was in my early 20's, I was taking lessons at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. After class ended, a large group of the students went over to a local pub called the Saddle Club to hear whoever was going to play at an open mike. On one evening, we were pretty excited because we had been told Steve Goodman was going to play. By then, he already had some fame in Chicago.

Steve played a few songs, then said he wanted to introduce a friend of his, a letter carrier (postman in those days), who wrote some great songs. John Prine, completely unknown at that point, got up and sang a couple of his songs. Of course, they were stunning. Even so, at that point, one couldn't know of the fame he would achieve, nor could the audience know this was an historic moment. His singing was -- well, it wasn't great. The guitar playing was very, very basic. But the lyrics were extraordinary.

One of my favorite memories of the Chicago folk scene.

[kkfan]

Saw John Prine last Saturday at the Country Music Hall of Fame where he talked about his book, "Beyond Words." He related some insightful stories and played a couple of songs. As always, he sounded great!

[Charmed Life Picks]

Thanks for the photos and such. Sounds like a great evening. Looks like he played solo that night, not with his band. Jason Wilbur's a heckuva guitar player.

Thanks Again,

Scott

[kkfan]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

Looks like he played solo that night, not with his band. Jason Wilbur's a heckuva guitar player.



Thanks Again,



Scott

You're welcome, Scott.

Yes, John played alone, but he sounded incredible! Add to that the fantastic acoustics in the Ford Theater at the Hall of Fame.

You're right about Jason. He's a heckuva guitar player! [emoji106]

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by kkfan

You're welcome, Scott.

Yes, John played alone, but he sounded incredible! Add to that the fantastic acoustics in the Ford Theater at the Hall of Fame.

You're right about Jason. He's a heckuva guitar player! [emoji106]

KK, thanks for the post and response. Sounds like a wonderful evening. My wife and I saw JP in a one-off show with KK opening for him in San Diego about 18 months ago. John looks like you could knock him over with a feather, but as soon as the music started he put on a two-hour, non-stop songwriting clinic. We were second row center for a show I will never forget.

JP is an American treasure.

Thanks!
Scott

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by rmoretti49

When I was in my early 20's, I was taking lessons at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. After class ended, a large group of the students went over to a local pub called the Saddle Club to hear whoever was going to play at an open mike. On one evening, we were pretty excited because we had been told Steve Goodman was going to play. By then, he already had some fame in Chicago.

Steve played a few songs, then said he wanted to introduce a friend of his, a letter carrier (postman in those days), who wrote some great songs. John Prine, completely unknown at that point, got up and sang a couple of his songs. Of course, they were stunning. Even so, at that point, one couldn't know of the fame he would achieve, nor could the audience know this was an historic moment. His singing was -- well, it wasn't great. The guitar playing was very, very basic. But the lyrics were extraordinary.

One of my favorite memories of the Chicago folk scene.

That's quite a moment, to be cherished forever.

Here's Steve and John on "Souvenirs":

[AgentKooper]

We saw John Prine at Red Rocks last night with Kacey Musgraves. In ten years of seeing Prine shows, this was maybe the best. He was in his usual good spirits, played and sang well, and his band killed it. A highlight -- something I've not seen him do before -- was bring up a bunch of family members to sing "Paradise" for the finale. His wife and Musgraves singing, his son Tommy singing and playing guitar, his nephew on guitar, and Pat McLaughlin's son on electric guitar.

Prine played several guitars, including a new Prine signature Martin, which he joked would make good kindling.

I'm a Kacey Musgraves fan after last night, too. In addition to singing three songs with him during his show, she closed out her opening set with this one:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/vi...prine-20150209

An excellent night under the Colorado stars.