John Prine

[Aggie87]

Any Prine fans on the board? Tell me about him - I really don't know any of his music, I don't think. He's one of those names I've heard mentioned over the years, but never listened to. What albums are worth checking out? What are some of his signature songs?

He's playing here in town on Saturday night. Is he worth seeing live? Alejandro Escovedo is opening, and is the main reason I was interested, but I'd like to learn a bit about Prine too.

[jlhoots]

I'd go to see that "double bill".

Sam Stone is a favorite Prine song. He also wrote a song years ago called Jesus, The Missing Years that's really good.

http://www.jpshrine.org/lyrics/alphabetical_lt.html

Edited September 18, 2012 by jlhoots

[mjzee]

Prine's good. Starting out, he was marketed as another "The New Dylan," but he insisted on being himself. "Bruised Orange" is a great album from 1978; Miranda Lambert recently covered a song from that album. He realized he wasn't making any money recording for the majors, and started his "Oh Boy" label in 1984. "Aimless Love" is a great album from that time. He's a good maverick; you should check him out.

[Shawn]

I grew up hearing him around the house, always been a fan. Bruised Orange is a good starter album. The old greatest hits collection "Prime Prine" is very nice as well.

[fent99]

I'd recommend a live album from about 15 years ago as a really good intro and the Speed of the Sound of Loneliness is one of the best americana songs I've heard. Nanci Griffith does a great version on her covers album.

Edited September 18, 2012 by fent99

[AllenLowe]

I tried. I failed.

[Hot Ptah]

This is just me, and I know that many Prine fans would vehemently disagree with this. To me, his first album is by far his best. To me, he had his best songs saved up and used them on his first album, and then never reached that level again. I like the first album a lot, but do not like the rest of his career nearly as well.

Edited September 18, 2012 by Hot Ptah

[colinmce]

I don't think its unfair to say his first is his best. He's not the only one. But I think his entire output is worthwhile-- a very consistent performer, including his more recent work.

[Aggie87]

Ended up going to the show last night, and it was fantastic!

Alejandro Escovedo opened, and played for about 45 minutes - too short for my tastes. The band was two acoustic guitars, bass & drums. It was a great set, touching on some new tracks from his latest album (Big Station) back through some of his early tracks. I wish he'd pass through here as a headliner, like to hear a much longer set.

Prine came out after a 30 minute intermission, with a bassist and another guy who was mainly a guitarist but played a few other instruments as well. His set lasted 2 1/2 hours, which surprised me, given the cancer he battled. He was definitely "on", talking about how he wrote some of his songs, which were favorites of his mother and a recently passed brother, and about his experience playing brothers in a movie with Billy Bob Thornton. Thoughout all of his stories there was a sense of humor, and you could tell he really enjoyed what he was doing, and appreciated being there.

He played some of the songs mentioned above, as well as some that were clearly some of his biggest hits - Sam Stone, Jesus the Missing Years, Bear Creek Blues, Angel from Montgomery, Dear Abby, Hello in There, John Garfield Blues, Clay Pigeons, and many more.

Glad I went!

Edited September 23, 2012 by Aggie87

[A Lark Ascending]

Haven't listened to him in a while but he's good. This anthology gathers a lot of fine stuff up to the 90s. Must have been superseded, I'd have thought:

Must dig out a Prine or two.

[J.A.W.]

This is just me, and I know that many Prine fans would vehemently disagree with this. To me, his first album is by far his best. To me, he had his best songs saved up and used them on his first album, and then never reached that level again. I like the first album a lot, but do not like the rest of his career nearly as well.

I agree, in my opinion John Prine's first album is his best by far. I picked it up when it came out in 1971 and still love it after all these years. Great songwriter.

[jlhoots]

Ended up going to the show last night, and it was fantastic!

Alejandro Escovedo opened, and played for about 45 minutes - too short for my tastes. The band was two acoustic guitars, bass & drums. It was a great set, touching on some new tracks from his latest album (Big Station) back through some of his early tracks. I wish he'd pass through here as a headliner, like to hear a much longer set.

Prine came out after a 30 minute intermission, with a bassist and another guy who was mainly a guitarist but played a few other instruments as well. His set lasted 2 1/2 hours, which surprised me, given the cancer he battled. He was definitely "on", talking about how he wrote some of his songs, which were favorites of his mother and a recently passed brother, and about his experience playing brothers in a movie with Billy Bob Thornton. Thoughout all of his stories there was a sense of humor, and you could tell he really enjoyed what he was doing, and appreciated being there.

He played some of the songs mentioned above, as well as some that were clearly some of his biggest hits - Sam Stone, Jesus the Missing Years, Bear Creek Blues, Angel from Montgomery, Dear Abby, Hello in There, John Garfield Blues, Clay Pigeons, and many more.

Glad I went!

Not to derail - I'm a BIG Escovedo fan too.

Early in Dec. I'm going to a show where he & David Hidalgo will be trading songs.

[Aggie87]

Wow, would love to see that Escovedo/Hidalgo show! Are they playing together on stage, or separately, but only playing the other's songs?

[jlhoots]

Wow, would love to see that Escovedo/Hidalgo show! Are they playing together on stage, or separately, but only playing the other's songs?

I think together on stage.

The link below is all I know at the moment.

https://sites.google.com/site/newheathconcerts/songs-stories-vi-david-hidalgo-alejandro-escovedo

[Aggie87]

For those that like Prine's debut album, the recent release "Singing Mailman Delivers" would be worth checking out. The first disc is a set of recordings he made at WFMT Studios in Chicago for copyright purposes, about a year before the first album, with alot of the same songs. The second disc is a great live set from November 1970.