John Prine: Difference between revisions

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2015}}

{{BLP sources|date=July 2010}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = John Prine

| image = John Prine by Ron Baker.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Prine at MerleFest, Wilkesboro N.C. (2006)

| landscape = yes

| background = solo_singer

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1946|10|10}}

| death_date =

| birth_place = [[Maywood, Illinois]],<br /> [[United States]]

| instrument = [[Vocals]]<br />[[Guitar]]

| genre = [[Country music|Country]]<br />[[folk music|Folk]]<br />[[Progressive bluegrass]]

| occupation = [[Singer-songwriter]]<br />[[Guitarist]]

| years_active = 1971–present

| label = [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]], [[Asylum Records|Asylum]], [[Oh Boy Records|Oh Boy]], [[Rhino Records|Rhino]]

| associated_acts = [[Steve Goodman]] <!--and many other artists too numerous to list here-->

| website = {{URL|www.johnprine.net}}

}}

'''John Prine''' (born October 10, 1946) is an [[United States|American]] [[country music|country]]/[[folk music|folk]] [[singer-songwriter]]. He has been active as a composer, recording artist, and live performer since the early 1970s.

Born and raised in [[Maywood, Illinois]], Prine learned to play the guitar at the age of 14. Subsequently serving in [[West Germany]] with the U.S. armed forces, by the late 1960s he had moved to [[Chicago]], where he worked as a mailman, writing and singing songs as a hobby. Becoming a part of the city's [[folk revival]], he was discovered by [[Kris Kristofferson]], resulting in the production of Prine's [[John Prine (album)|self-titled debut album]] through [[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 whom he would release most of his subsequent albums.

After struggling with [[Squamous cell carcinoma|squamous cell cancer]] in 1998, Prine's vocals deepened into a gravel-voice, resulting in the award-winning album ''[[Fair & Square]]'' (2005).

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.

==Biography==

Prine is the son of William Prine and Verna Hamm. He started playing guitar at age 14, taught by his brother, David.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shrout.co.uk/jpbackpage.html |title=John Prine Information |publisher=Shrout.co.uk |date=1946-10-10 |accessdate=2011-03-15}}</ref> Prine attended [[Proviso East High School]] in [[Maywood, Illinois]]. He was a mailman for five years and served in the [[United States Army|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.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://devildick.blogspot.de/2012/02/john-prine-st-1971.html |title=The Devil's Music: John Prine – S/T – 1971 |publisher=Devildick.blogspot.de |date=2012-02-07 |accessdate=2013-06-15}}</ref> Chicago ''Sun-Times'' movie critic [[Roger Ebert]] heard him there and wrote the first review Prine ever received, calling him a great songwriter.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/pages-for-twitter/john-prine-an-american-legend.html |title=Roger Ebert's Journal: "John Prine: American Legend" |publisher=Chicago Sun-Times |accessdate=2012-05-17}}</ref> He became a central figure in the Chicago [[American folk music revival|folk revival]], which also included such singer-songwriters as [[Steve Goodman]], [[Bonnie Koloc]], [[Jim Post]] and [[Fred Holstein]]. Joined by such established musicians as [[Jethro Burns]] and [[Bob Gibson (musician)|Bob Gibson]], Prine performed frequently at a variety of clubs—including the Earl of Old Town, the Quiet Knight, Somebody Else's Troubles, The 5th Peg, and the Bulls.

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

===Recordings===

{{BLP unsourced section|date=October 2010}}

In 1971 Prine's [[John Prine (album)|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")<ref name="Chilton, Martin 2013">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.</ref> The album included his signature songs "Illegal Smile," "[[Sam Stone (song)|Sam Stone]]," and the folk and country standards "[[Angel from Montgomery]]" and "[[Paradise (John Prine song)|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<ref name="Chilton, Martin 2013" />

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 (song)|The Great Compromise]]," which features a recitation and addresses the [[Vietnam War]], and the ballad "Souvenirs," which Prine later recorded with Goodman.

Subsequent albums include ''[[Sweet Revenge (John Prine album)|Sweet Revenge]]'' (1973), containing such fan favorites as "Dear Abby," "Grandpa Was A Carpenter," and "Christmas In Prison", and [[Common Sense (John Prine album)|''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 (magazine)|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|date=October 2012}} 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.{{Citation needed|date=October 2012}}

In 1975, Prine toured the U.S. and Canada with a full band featuring guitarist [[Arlen Roth]]. {{Asof|2014}}, 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.

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."

In 1991, Prine released the [[Grammy Award]]-winning ''The Missing Years'', his first collaboration with producer and [[Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers|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 of Jesus|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. And all of the tracks are duets with well-known female country vocalists, including [[Lucinda Williams]], [[Emmylou Harris]], [[Dolores Keane]], and [[Iris DeMent]].

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 (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."

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 (band)|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]].<ref name="broken hearts">{{cite web|url=http://brokenheartsanddirtywindows.com/about.html |title=Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows: The Songs of John Prine; Oh Boy Records |publisher=brokenheartsanddirtywindows.com |accessdate=2012-02-18}}</ref>

==Cancer==

In early 1998, Prine was diagnosed with [[Squamous cell carcinoma|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]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jpshrine.org/john_prine_letter.html |title=John Prine personal letter to his fans about his cancer |publisher=Jpshrine.org |accessdate=2011-03-15}}</ref> The surgery altered his vocals, and has added a gravelly tone to his voice.<ref>[http://home.mchsi.com/~rburhead/2005/05concertreviews_IL.htm John Prine concert reviews] June 4, 2005</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/17/john-prine_n_1100245.html | work=Huffington Post | first=Lucas | last=Kavner | title=John Prine, Iconic Folk Singer, Takes Everything In Stride | date=November 17, 2011}}</ref>

On November 21, 2013, a note on Prine's website said that he will undergo surgery for lung cancer, forcing the postponement of two dates in Louisville, Kentucky. Prine said doctors found the cancer early and "see no reason why I won't fully recover." The cancer is not related to the squamous cell cancer.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/john-prine-operable-form-lung-cancer-20972027 | title=John Prine Has Operable Form of Lung Cancer | publisher=[[Associated Press]] | work=''[[ABCNews.com]]'' | date=November 22, 2013 | accessdate=November 22, 2013}}</ref>

==Awards and influence==

In 2003, Prine was given a [[BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards#2003|Lifetime Achievement Award]] for songwriting by the [[United Kingdom|UK]]'s [[BBC Radio 2]] and that same year was inducted into the [[Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame]]. The following year saw his song "Sam Stone" covered by [[Laura Cantrell]] for the [[Future Soundtrack for America]] compilation. On March 9, 2005, at the request of Poet Laureate Ted Kooser, John Prine became the first singer/songwriter to read and perform at the Library of Congress.

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 [[Marcel Proust|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.’ <ref>"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.ezproxy1.library.arizona.edu/subscriber/article/epm/22546</ref> 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."<ref name="huff_post_dylan">{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/15/bob-dylan-exclusive-inter_n_187216.html|title=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/15/bob-dylan-exclusive-inter_n_187216.html|last=Flanagan|first=Bill |date=April 15, 2009|work=Huffington Post|accessdate=2009-07-12}}</ref> In [[Johnny Cash]]'s autobiography ''Cash'', he admitted "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)..."<ref name="cash_prine">{{cite book|last=Cash|first=Johnny |author2=Carr|others=Patrick |title=Cash|publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|year=2003|page=189}}</ref> [[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."<ref name="word_waters">{{cite web|url=http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/word-exclusive-roger-waters|title=Word Interview Exclusive: Roger Waters | work=Word Magazine|date=April 13, 2008|accessdate=2009-07-12}}</ref> Prine received the Artist of the Year award at the [[Americana Music Award]]s on September 9, 2005.

While he's always worked social commentary into his work—he even was tagged a protest singer in his career ---- the new anti-Bush tirade "Some Humans Ain't Human" is his most pointed political blast since "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore" from his 1972 debut. "I felt like I had to write something about how I feel about the way things are in this country right now.” <ref>McCall, M. (May 7, 2005). POP MUSIC; john prine in a 'lower key' of the high life. Los Angeles Times Retrieved from http://ezproxy.library.arizona.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421987837?accountid=8360</ref>

==Discography==

===Albums===

{| class="wikitable"

|-

! rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Album

! colspan="5"| Peak chart positions

! rowspan="2"| Label

|- style="font-size: smaller"

! style="width:45px;"| [[Billboard 200|US]]

! style="width:45px;"| [[Top Country Albums|US Country]]

! style="width:45px;"| [[Independent Albums|US Indie]]

! style="width:45px;"| [[Top Rock Albums|US Rock]]

! style="width:45px;"| [[Folk Albums|US Folk]]

|-

| 1971

| ''[[John Prine (album)|John Prine]]''

| style="text-align:center;"| 154

|

|

|

|

| rowspan="5"| [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]]

|-

| 1972

| ''[[Diamonds in the Rough (album)|Diamonds in the Rough]]''

| style="text-align:center;"| 148

|

|

|

|

|-

| 1973

| ''[[Sweet Revenge (John Prine album)|Sweet Revenge]]''

| style="text-align:center;"| 135

|

|

|

|

|-

| 1975

| ''[[Common Sense (John Prine album)|Common Sense]]''

| style="text-align:center;"| 66

|

|

|

|

|-

| 1976

| ''[[Prime Prine: The Best of John Prine]]''

| style="text-align:center;"| 196

|

|

|

|

|-

| 1978

| ''[[Bruised Orange]]''

| style="text-align:center;"| 116

|

|

|

|

| rowspan="3"| [[Asylum Records|Asylum]]

|-

| 1979

| ''[[Pink Cadillac (album)|Pink Cadillac]]''

| style="text-align:center;"| 152

|

|

|

|

|-

| 1980

| ''[[Storm Windows]]''

| style="text-align:center;"| 144

|

|

|

|

|-

| 1984

| ''[[Aimless Love]]''

|

|

|

|

|

| rowspan="4"| [[Oh Boy Records|Oh Boy]]

|-

| 1986

| ''[[German Afternoons]]''

|

|

|

|

|

|-

| 1988

| ''[[John Prine Live]]''

|

|

|

|

|

|-

| 1991

| ''[[The Missing Years (John Prine album)|The Missing Years]]''

|

|

|

|

|

|-

| rowspan="2"| 1993

| ''[[Great Days: The John Prine Anthology]]''

|

|

|

|

|

| [[Rhino Records|Rhino]]

|-

| ''[[A John Prine Christmas]]''

|

|

|

|

|

| rowspan="9"| [[Oh Boy Records|Oh Boy]]

|-

| 1995

| ''[[Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings]]''

| style="text-align:center;"| 159

|

|

|

|

|-

| 1997

| ''[[Live on Tour (John Prine album)|Live on Tour]]''

|

|

|

|

|

|-

| 1999

| ''[[In Spite of Ourselves]]''

| style="text-align:center;"| 197

| style="text-align:center;"| 21

|

|

|

|-

| 2000

| ''[[Souvenirs (John Prine album)|Souvenirs]]''

|

|

|

|

|

|-

| 2005

| ''[[Fair & Square]]''

| style="text-align:center;"| 55

|

| style="text-align:center;"| 2

|

|

|-

| 2007

| ''[[Standard Songs For Average People]]''<br /><small>(with [[Mac Wiseman]])</small>

|

|

| style="text-align:center;"| 37

|

|

|-

| 2010

| ''In Person & On Stage''

| style="text-align:center;"| 85

|

|

| style="text-align:center;"| 27

| style="text-align:center;"| 1

|-

| 2011

| ''Singing Mailman Delivers''

| style="text-align:center;"| 94

|

| style="text-align:center;"| 20

| style="text-align:center;"| 22

| style="text-align:center;"| 4

|}

===Guest singles===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|-

! rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Single

! rowspan="2"| Artist

!| Peak positions

! rowspan="2"| Album

|- style="font-size:smaller;"

! style="width:65px;"| [[Hot Country Songs|US Country]]

|-

| 1992

| style="text-align:left;"| "Sweet Suzanne"

| Buzzin' Cousins

| 68

| style="text-align:left;"| ''[[Falling from Grace (film)|Falling from Grace]]'' soundtrack

|}

===Videos===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|-

!| Year

!| Title

!| Label

|-

| 2001

| ''[[John Prine – Live from Sessions at West 54th]]''

| [[Oh Boy Records]] Music Video

|}

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==

* {{official website|http://www.johnprine.net/}}

* [http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=3677 ''A Literary Evening with John Prine and Ted Kooser.'' March 9, 2005. The Poetry and Literature Center at the Library of Congress.]

* {{IMDb name|0697789}}

{{S-start}}

{{S-ach|aw}}

{{S-bef|before=[[Billy Joe Shaver]]}}

{{s-ttl|title=[[Americana Music Association|AMA Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting]]|years=2003}}

{{S-aft|after=[[Jack Clement|Cowboy Jack Clement]]}}

{{S-bef|before=[[Loretta Lynn]]}}

{{s-ttl|title=[[Americana Music Association|AMA Artist of the Year]]|years=2005}}

{{S-aft|after=[[Neil Young]]}}

{{S-end}}

{{John Prine}}

{{Authority control|VIAF=29725016}}

{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->

| NAME = Prine, John

| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =

| SHORT DESCRIPTION = American musician

| DATE OF BIRTH = October 10, 1946

| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Maywood, Illinois]], [[United States]]

| DATE OF DEATH =

| PLACE OF DEATH =

}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Prine, John}}

[[Category:1946 births]]

[[Category:Living people]]

[[Category:American country singers]]

[[Category:American folk singers]]

[[Category:American male singers]]

[[Category:American singer-songwriters]]

[[Category:Cancer survivors]]

[[Category:Folk musicians from Chicago, Illinois]]

[[Category:Grammy Award-winning artists]]

[[Category:Mail carriers]]

[[Category:Old Town School of Folk musicians]]

[[Category:People from Maywood, Illinois]]