John Prine

This article is about the musician. For his debut album, see John Prine (album).
John Prine
Prine at MerleFest 2006
Prine at MerleFest 2006
Background information
Birth nameJohn Edward Prine
Born(1946-10-10)October 10, 1946
Maywood, Illinois, U.S.
DiedApril 7, 2020(2020-04-07) (aged 73)
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres
Occupation
  • Singer-songwriter
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • acoustic guitar
Years active1969–2020
Labels
SpouseFiona Prine (m. 1996)
WebsiteJohnPrine.com

John Edward Prine[2] (/praɪn/; October 10, 1946 – April 7, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter of country-folk music. Widely cited as one of the most influential songwriters of his generation, Prine was known for his signature blend of humorous lyrics about love, life, and current events, often with elements of social commentary and satire, as well as sweet songs and melancholy ballads. He was active as a composer, recording artist, live performer, and occasional actor from the early 1970s until his death.

Born and raised in Maywood, Illinois, Prine learned to play the guitar at age 14. He attended classes at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music.[3] After serving in West Germany with the U.S. Army, he returned to Chicago in the late 1960s, where he worked as a mailman, writing and singing songs first as a hobby. Continuing studies at the Old Town School, he performed at a student hang-out, the nearby Fifth Peg. A laudatory review by Roger Ebert put Prine on the map. Singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson heard Prine at Steve Goodman's insistence, and Kristofferson invited Prine to be his opening act. Prine released his eponymous debut album in 1971.[4] Featuring such songs as "Paradise", "Sam Stone" and "Angel from Montgomery", it has been hailed as one of the greatest of all albums.[5]

The acclaim Prine earned from his debut led to three more albums for Atlantic Records. Common Sense (1975) was his first to chart on the Billboard U.S. Top 100. He then recorded three albums with Asylum Records. In 1981, he co-founded Oh Boy Records, an independent label which released all of his music up until his death. His final album, 2018's The Tree of Forgiveness, debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200, his highest ranking on the charts.

Prine struggled with health issues throughout his life, surviving cancer twice. He died in 2020 from complications caused by COVID-19. Earlier the same year, he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

  1. ^ Carr, Patrick (July 22, 1973). "It's So 'Progressive' in Texas". The New York Times. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  2. ^ "John Prine Obituary - Nashville, TN".
  3. ^ "John Prine OTSFM Registration Card". Old Town School of Folk Music. September 17, 1964. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  4. ^ "John Prine Shares the Remarkable 'Cinderella Story' of How His Career Got Started". Billboard.
  5. ^ "#149 John Prine, 'John Prine' (1971)". Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time. Retrieved October 10, 2023.