John Prine performs on stage at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California on 2nd October, 2009. (Photo: Anthony Pidgeon/Redferns)
Apr 07, 2020
John Prine, one of America's most cherished songwriters and folk artists, died on Tuesday following a battle with the coronavirus. He was 73.
A national outpouring of grief soon followed after news of his death was reported.
"Prine," wrote Stephen L. Betts and Patrick Doyle for Rolling Stone, "who for five decades wrote rich, plain-spoken songs that chronicled the struggles and stories of everyday working people and changed the face of modern American roots music, died Tuesday at Nashville's Vanderbilt University Medical Center."
According to his family, the cause was complications related to coronavirus, or Covid-19.
\u201cI feel like John Prine has had an incredibly full life, with tons of musicians who have attributed their debt to him for decades. By dying he makes us all listen to his wisdom again. \n\nRIP to a life well lived--may we listen to your wisdom now.\u201d— emptywheel (@emptywheel) 1586311584
A legend in Nashville and among folk and alt-country music devotees, Prine was more revered than he was famous. According to Rolling Stone:
As a songwriter, Prine was admired by Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, and others, known for his ability to mine seemingly ordinary experiences -- he wrote many of his classics as a mailman in Maywood, Illinois -- for revelatory songs that covered the full spectrum of the human experience. There's "Hello in There," about the devastating loneliness of an elderly couple; "Sam Stone," a portrait of a drug-addicted Vietnam soldier suffering from PTSD; and "Paradise," an ode to his parents' strip-mined hometown of Paradise, Kentucky, which became an environmental anthem. Prine tackled these subjects with empathy and humor, with an eye for "the in-between spaces," the moments people don't talk about, he told Rolling Stone in 2017.
Prine playing "Sam Stone", one of his early hits and best known songs about the Vietnam War:
"Beloved, of course, in the roots music community," writes Hilary Saunders for No Depression, "Prine was also greatly respected around the world for his vivid, often humorous storytelling. Beginning with his 1971 self-titled album--a record that Rolling Stone dubbed one of the 500 greatest of all time, replete with classics like "Paradise" and "Angel from Montgomery"" -- and through to his 2018 LP Tree of Forgiveness, Prine captured the simplicities and the complexities of the human existence in stark and stunning glory."
\u201cSongwriting hero, John Prine, has passed at age 73 due to complications from COVID-19. He will be deeply missed \u2764\ufe0f\u201d— CMT (@CMT) 1586313046
Heartfelt memories and condolences spread on social media in the wake of his death:
\u201cJohn Prine\u2019s genius as a songwriter is that he could be the funniest and the saddest guy in the room, sometimes simultaneously. I wish I could hear the song he would\u2019ve written to put this moment in perspective.\u201d— Steven Hyden (@Steven Hyden) 1586312248
\u201cCoronavirus has taken one of the great ones: John Prine, dead at 73. So many memorable songs.\u201d— Stephen King (@Stephen King) 1586312091
\u201cThe great folk singer and songwriter, John Prine, passed away today due to the coronavirus. So many great songs. Here\u2019s one about the loneliness of growing old and a plea for us not to ignore our elderly. \n\u201cHello in There\u201d. Please watch...\nhttps://t.co/HvdpTuMprS\u201d— Michael Moore (@Michael Moore) 1586312355
\u201cRIP John Prine. Thanks for being so much more than we could ever deserve.\u201d— Dawes (@Dawes) 1586313831
\u201cBesides being a great songwriter, @JohnPrineMusic was defined by his empathy, his humor, his humanity. In interviewing him, I always felt like I was sitting down with an old friend: https://t.co/5K4nnQ2K7j\u201d— Greg Kot (@Greg Kot) 1586311772
While no shortage of great songs in Prine's repetoire, this writer (digging out one of the most memorable and impressive performances of Prine's from a concert many years ago) picks Lake Marie:
And the song goes: "Standing by peaceful waters....Standing by peaceful waters. Ohhh why oh, why oh."
And the song ends, but not without a fight and a riveting bit of guitar, like this: "Ahhhh baby, we gotta go now. We gotta go now."
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
John Prine, one of America's most cherished songwriters and folk artists, died on Tuesday following a battle with the coronavirus. He was 73.
A national outpouring of grief soon followed after news of his death was reported.
"Prine," wrote Stephen L. Betts and Patrick Doyle for Rolling Stone, "who for five decades wrote rich, plain-spoken songs that chronicled the struggles and stories of everyday working people and changed the face of modern American roots music, died Tuesday at Nashville's Vanderbilt University Medical Center."
According to his family, the cause was complications related to coronavirus, or Covid-19.
\u201cI feel like John Prine has had an incredibly full life, with tons of musicians who have attributed their debt to him for decades. By dying he makes us all listen to his wisdom again. \n\nRIP to a life well lived--may we listen to your wisdom now.\u201d— emptywheel (@emptywheel) 1586311584
A legend in Nashville and among folk and alt-country music devotees, Prine was more revered than he was famous. According to Rolling Stone:
As a songwriter, Prine was admired by Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, and others, known for his ability to mine seemingly ordinary experiences -- he wrote many of his classics as a mailman in Maywood, Illinois -- for revelatory songs that covered the full spectrum of the human experience. There's "Hello in There," about the devastating loneliness of an elderly couple; "Sam Stone," a portrait of a drug-addicted Vietnam soldier suffering from PTSD; and "Paradise," an ode to his parents' strip-mined hometown of Paradise, Kentucky, which became an environmental anthem. Prine tackled these subjects with empathy and humor, with an eye for "the in-between spaces," the moments people don't talk about, he told Rolling Stone in 2017.
Prine playing "Sam Stone", one of his early hits and best known songs about the Vietnam War:
"Beloved, of course, in the roots music community," writes Hilary Saunders for No Depression, "Prine was also greatly respected around the world for his vivid, often humorous storytelling. Beginning with his 1971 self-titled album--a record that Rolling Stone dubbed one of the 500 greatest of all time, replete with classics like "Paradise" and "Angel from Montgomery"" -- and through to his 2018 LP Tree of Forgiveness, Prine captured the simplicities and the complexities of the human existence in stark and stunning glory."
\u201cSongwriting hero, John Prine, has passed at age 73 due to complications from COVID-19. He will be deeply missed \u2764\ufe0f\u201d— CMT (@CMT) 1586313046
Heartfelt memories and condolences spread on social media in the wake of his death:
\u201cJohn Prine\u2019s genius as a songwriter is that he could be the funniest and the saddest guy in the room, sometimes simultaneously. I wish I could hear the song he would\u2019ve written to put this moment in perspective.\u201d— Steven Hyden (@Steven Hyden) 1586312248
\u201cCoronavirus has taken one of the great ones: John Prine, dead at 73. So many memorable songs.\u201d— Stephen King (@Stephen King) 1586312091
\u201cThe great folk singer and songwriter, John Prine, passed away today due to the coronavirus. So many great songs. Here\u2019s one about the loneliness of growing old and a plea for us not to ignore our elderly. \n\u201cHello in There\u201d. Please watch...\nhttps://t.co/HvdpTuMprS\u201d— Michael Moore (@Michael Moore) 1586312355
\u201cRIP John Prine. Thanks for being so much more than we could ever deserve.\u201d— Dawes (@Dawes) 1586313831
\u201cBesides being a great songwriter, @JohnPrineMusic was defined by his empathy, his humor, his humanity. In interviewing him, I always felt like I was sitting down with an old friend: https://t.co/5K4nnQ2K7j\u201d— Greg Kot (@Greg Kot) 1586311772
While no shortage of great songs in Prine's repetoire, this writer (digging out one of the most memorable and impressive performances of Prine's from a concert many years ago) picks Lake Marie:
And the song goes: "Standing by peaceful waters....Standing by peaceful waters. Ohhh why oh, why oh."
And the song ends, but not without a fight and a riveting bit of guitar, like this: "Ahhhh baby, we gotta go now. We gotta go now."
John Prine, one of America's most cherished songwriters and folk artists, died on Tuesday following a battle with the coronavirus. He was 73.
A national outpouring of grief soon followed after news of his death was reported.
"Prine," wrote Stephen L. Betts and Patrick Doyle for Rolling Stone, "who for five decades wrote rich, plain-spoken songs that chronicled the struggles and stories of everyday working people and changed the face of modern American roots music, died Tuesday at Nashville's Vanderbilt University Medical Center."
According to his family, the cause was complications related to coronavirus, or Covid-19.
\u201cI feel like John Prine has had an incredibly full life, with tons of musicians who have attributed their debt to him for decades. By dying he makes us all listen to his wisdom again. \n\nRIP to a life well lived--may we listen to your wisdom now.\u201d— emptywheel (@emptywheel) 1586311584
A legend in Nashville and among folk and alt-country music devotees, Prine was more revered than he was famous. According to Rolling Stone:
As a songwriter, Prine was admired by Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, and others, known for his ability to mine seemingly ordinary experiences -- he wrote many of his classics as a mailman in Maywood, Illinois -- for revelatory songs that covered the full spectrum of the human experience. There's "Hello in There," about the devastating loneliness of an elderly couple; "Sam Stone," a portrait of a drug-addicted Vietnam soldier suffering from PTSD; and "Paradise," an ode to his parents' strip-mined hometown of Paradise, Kentucky, which became an environmental anthem. Prine tackled these subjects with empathy and humor, with an eye for "the in-between spaces," the moments people don't talk about, he told Rolling Stone in 2017.
Prine playing "Sam Stone", one of his early hits and best known songs about the Vietnam War:
"Beloved, of course, in the roots music community," writes Hilary Saunders for No Depression, "Prine was also greatly respected around the world for his vivid, often humorous storytelling. Beginning with his 1971 self-titled album--a record that Rolling Stone dubbed one of the 500 greatest of all time, replete with classics like "Paradise" and "Angel from Montgomery"" -- and through to his 2018 LP Tree of Forgiveness, Prine captured the simplicities and the complexities of the human existence in stark and stunning glory."
\u201cSongwriting hero, John Prine, has passed at age 73 due to complications from COVID-19. He will be deeply missed \u2764\ufe0f\u201d— CMT (@CMT) 1586313046
Heartfelt memories and condolences spread on social media in the wake of his death:
\u201cJohn Prine\u2019s genius as a songwriter is that he could be the funniest and the saddest guy in the room, sometimes simultaneously. I wish I could hear the song he would\u2019ve written to put this moment in perspective.\u201d— Steven Hyden (@Steven Hyden) 1586312248
\u201cCoronavirus has taken one of the great ones: John Prine, dead at 73. So many memorable songs.\u201d— Stephen King (@Stephen King) 1586312091
\u201cThe great folk singer and songwriter, John Prine, passed away today due to the coronavirus. So many great songs. Here\u2019s one about the loneliness of growing old and a plea for us not to ignore our elderly. \n\u201cHello in There\u201d. Please watch...\nhttps://t.co/HvdpTuMprS\u201d— Michael Moore (@Michael Moore) 1586312355
\u201cRIP John Prine. Thanks for being so much more than we could ever deserve.\u201d— Dawes (@Dawes) 1586313831
\u201cBesides being a great songwriter, @JohnPrineMusic was defined by his empathy, his humor, his humanity. In interviewing him, I always felt like I was sitting down with an old friend: https://t.co/5K4nnQ2K7j\u201d— Greg Kot (@Greg Kot) 1586311772
While no shortage of great songs in Prine's repetoire, this writer (digging out one of the most memorable and impressive performances of Prine's from a concert many years ago) picks Lake Marie:
And the song goes: "Standing by peaceful waters....Standing by peaceful waters. Ohhh why oh, why oh."
And the song ends, but not without a fight and a riveting bit of guitar, like this: "Ahhhh baby, we gotta go now. We gotta go now."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.