We are very sad to hear that John Prine has passed away from complications related to the coronavirus at the age of 73. As the pandemic takes the lives of so many, we grieve for all of the horrors that it has brought to the world. And the loss of John Prine, who Rolling Stone calls one of America’s greatest songwriters, just adds to our national and worldwide grief. (I hope Bob Dylan is locked up somewhere safe in isolation until there is a vaccine for the virus.)
I was fortunate to see Prine live as he toured for his final album, The Tree of Forgiveness (2018). Although he had battled health problems in recent years, he toured up until the very end and was full of energy.
The Tree of Forgiveness found Prine contemplating life and mortality. One of the songs prophetically recounted Prine’s version of what he would do when he got to heaven. Of course, Prine being Prine, the song was full of humor and love (and forgiveness) for his fellow creatures on earth.
Prine first really came into my life with his album The Missing Years in 1991. I had heard some of his songs before that, such as tape recording a live cover of “Sam Stone” by John Mellencamp off the radio in the early 1980s. But The Missing Years was the first John Prine album that I bought and played endlessly.
Many others, of course, already knew the secret of John Prine’s music, such as one of my co-workers at the time, Hal (who passed away himself many years ago even as Prine’s songs remind me of him). But I was glad I found Prine when I did, soon delving into all of his previous and later albums with some guidance from friends like Hal and a later co-worker, Sid.
I have many “favorite” John Prine songs, including some we’ve already written about on Chimesfreedom, such as “Lake Marie” and “Bruised Orange (Chain of Sorrow).” One of the songs on The Missing Years that I loved was “Picture Show.” The song is featured below in a video that also includes the late Tom Petty.
Damn, he was good, and I loved that his songs also revealed a man with joy, humor, and love of his fellow creatures (much like another singer-songwriter we lost not long ago, Greg Trooper).
RIP John Prine. I hope you are sipping that cocktail right now.
What is your favorite John Prine song? Leave your two cents in the comments.
