April 9, 2020, from my son:
“Back in 2014 on me and Ryan's first western ski trip to Utah, we borrowed his Dad's 2003 Pontiac Grand AM and drove it from his Dad’s place in Woodruff, Utah to Beaver Mountain. We did that drive, there and back, about 3 times - only a couple hours. Then, we drove the Pontiac to Jackson Hole in a blizzard - which was very scary.
But it wasn't until after we started driving that we realized we had no way to play our music from our phones to the car radio. We looked around the car a bit and found a CD and it was John Prine’s greatest hits. That was my first introduction to John Prine, we listened to that CD over and over for hours. We were too far out there to get a good radio station but that was fine with me. “Sam Stone,” “Illegal Smile,” and “Hello in There” always instantly bring me back to that trip.”
April 8, 2020, from friends:
Three friends sent me John Prine obituaries (from the New York Times, Rolling Stone and Pitchfork). The obits gave me a classic case of “you won’t miss him till he’s gone.” John Prine is gone – the virus.
Prine has always been there - 50 years of music.
October 9, 1970, Roger Ebert wrote in the Chicago Sun Times:
“He appears on stage with such modesty he almost seems to be backing into the spotlight. He sings rather quietly, and his guitar work is good, but he doesn't show off. He starts slow. But after a song or two, even the drunks in the room begin to listen to his lyrics. And then he has you.”
April 8, 2020, The Rolling Stone obituary:
Prine was "known for his ability to mine seemingly ordinary experiences for revelatory songs that covered the full spectrum of the human experience.”
The three songs my son noted:
“Sam Stone” - a drug addicted Vietnam Veteran (“There is a hole in Daddy’s arm where the money goes”)
“Illegal Smile” – partying in hard times. (“But fortunately, I have the key to escape reality”)
“Hello In There” - growing old and lonely (“Well, it'd been years since the kids had grown”)
John Prine is like an old pair of shoes – comfortable. Folk, Rock, Country, Bluegrass, and Americana – he fits comfortably. No matter your mood - he fits comfortably.
Rolling Stone further reported Prine “liked to say that he tried to live in a space somewhere between his heroes Johnny Cash and Dylan.” That sounds right, comfortably between a legend and an icon. Just “backing into the spotlight.”
Everyone who loves his music has a Prine story. Mine?
1978, Harrisonburg, VA:
I made my weekly trek from James Madison University to Blue Mountain Records to check out the bargain bin – new and used records. Entering the store, I heard a familiar voice for the 1st time.
I stopped and listened, “Who is this?” He had me.
The album was posted on the wall, John Prine Bruised Orange. Despite my college-student budget, I sprung for the album - paid full price – best impulse purchase I ever made.
Maybe it is appropriate Prine died during Easter Week. No, he won’t rise from the dead, and he is not really gone - his music lives on.
Father forgive us for what we must do
You forgive us and we’ll forgive you
We’ll forgive each other till we both turn blue
Then we’ll whistle and go fishing in heaven
- Fish and Whistle, John Prine. Track 1, Bruised Orange.
How about you? What is your John Prine story? Share a Story!
Taste the Food - Second Helping
John Prine & Emmylou Harris were scheduled to play Wolf Trap on June 26, 2020.
Songs
Albums
Bruised Orange (1978)
Tree of Forgiveness (2018)
Obituaries
