By Steve Rhodes
Geez, I just did a post like this for Bill Withers. The loss of John Prine hurts even more – not that there’s a sliding scale.
Like so many others, I was a fan. I can’t say I was a huge fan, though that’s not because there was anything I didn’t like about his work. I just never collected his entire discography; only a few CDs and songs. Now I’m motivated to go back and see what I’ve missed.
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l always thought “Lake Marie” was overrated, but man, what about these?
John Prine | That’s How Every Empire Falls https://t.co/0xxT6nXUVn
— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) March 30, 2020
He didn’t write that song, but he sure does play it.
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Also, “Some Humans Ain’t Human.”
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And, of course, “In Spite of Ourselves.”
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I also had to keep reminding myself over the years that I liked John Prine but disliked John Hiatt; for some reason I confused those two for awhile. I also got tired of reading about how Prine was once a Chicago mailman. That’s slightly interesting but man, the media latches onto a piece of biography and can’t let go.
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Anyway, here are the appearances Prine has made in the Beachwood since we got started in 2006:
Tell The Band To Go Home, from The Beachwood 24/7 Alt-Country Internet Radio Guide, April 2006:
(CJUM – Winnipeg)
Tell The Band To Go Home is a weekly celebration of great songs and the people who bring them to life. I play songs from some of the greatest songwriters of all time, including John Prine, Lyle Lovett, Fred Eaglesmith, Willie P. Bennett, and many more. Along with the legends, I also focus on the the hottest new writers of today. Every week, I try to have a different musical guest who can give us some insight into their songs and their personality. Previous guests include: David Francey, Gurf Morlix, James McMurtry, Eliza Gilkyson, John Mayer and many more. Also, I’m often joined by local singer/songwriters in the studio for a talk and some live music. Local favorites like Del Barber, JP Hoe, Nathan, The Wailin’ Jennys, Scott Nolan and many more have all stopped by. If you’re interested in great music on a Sunday afternoon, check out Tell The Band To Go Home every week.
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Also:
Dave’s Record Collection w/Dave Sisson
(WMUC MP3 stream)
I’m a father of three teenage boys. I have a massive record collection (3,500+ records & 2,000+ CDs). I enjoy playing a wide variety of music and comedy. Often the shows are thematic: Halloween, Christmas, Mother’s & Father’s Day, July 4th, etc.
Favorite artists: John Prine, John Hiatt, The Replacements, The Gourds, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Roy Buchanan, The Handsome Family, The Band, Steve Goodman, The Smothers Brothers, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Richard Thompson, The Swimming Pool Q’s, Warren Zevon . . .
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Like A Cloud/Playlist, March 2010:
(We’re Not) The Jet Set/John Prine & Iris DeMent. Irresistible, no matter who sings it.
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Local Music Notebook: Sasha Go Hard’s Nutty World; Fun With Chicago Playlists, August 2013:
“Although a cornerstone of The Bad Examples’ hook-heavy sound and energetic live shows from 1988 until his untimely death last week, Mr. Piekarski may best be remembered by those outside of the Midwest for his time with Chicago folk-rock icon, John Prine, whose band came to be called The Famous Potatoes.”
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The Weekend In Chicago Rock, March 7, 2013:
John Prine at the Symphony Center on Friday night.
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Local Music Notebook: Born In Chicago, May 2015:
New Bio Does Justice To John Prine.
Prine’s entry into the music business seems right out of a novel. A letter-carrier in suburban Chicago writes songs as a sideline and begins performing publicly at 23 on a dare during an open-mic night. He gains recognition through a rave review from a film critic (Roger Ebert). A fellow musician (Steve Goodman) arranges an impromptu concert for him in a Chicago folk club with a popular crooner (Paul Anka) and a rising musical star (Kris Kristofferson) as the audience. The newcomer’s songs impress them, and it leads to a trip to New York and a contract with Atlantic Records.”
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The Week In Chicago Rock, November 20, 2015:
John Prine and Loudon Wainwright III at the Rialto in Joliet.
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The Weekend In Chicago Rock, November 7, 2016:
John and Billy Prine at the Chicago Theatre.
Kot: “When John Prine’s band left the stage for a few songs, time melted away Friday at the Chicago Theatre and he was back at the old Fifth Peg on Armitage Avenue in 1970 with an acoustic guitar around his shoulders while delivering songs that spoke to the times and beyond.
“Or, as Bob Dylan once described Prine’s lyrical gift, ‘pure Proustian existentialism, Midwestern mind trips to the nth degree.’ His songs have not only aged well, the years have added richness and resonance.”
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When John Prine Gets To Heaven, October 2019.
He’ll have a nine-mile long cigarette waiting for him.
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Comments welcome.
Posted on April 9, 2020