FREE MP3: Legendary John Prine has More in the Tank

John Prine might not be the best known name in the music business—unless you are talking to a hardcore fan, in which case, John Prine is the be-all, end-all, greatest songwriter in the history of the world. I’m in the hardcore fan category, I’ve been going to John’s shows for the past 12 years or so, every time he comes to California. I’ve driven as far as the middle of nowhere (Hanford, CA) to see John on a number of occasions, including just last week, when I soaked in the glories of his sold-out show in Santa Rosa. He’s never come anywhere close to disappointing me.

Which is why I jumped with joy at the announcement of his new live record, John Prine: In Person and On Stage, the first live recording of Prine with his amazing three piece band. Prine’s other live records are great, but his body of work is so perfectly, delicately presented in the current configuration, that a quality recording was long overdue. Even better are the inclusion of duets with Iris DeMent, Sara Watkins, and Emmylou Harris on “Angel From Montgomery”), those breathtaking special moments that even hardcore fans don’t get to experience every show. I’m gonna pre-order all over this one, which comes out May 25.

I’m also excited about the Prine tribute record Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine, featuring Conor Oberst, Drive-By Truckers, My Morning Jacket, and others, out June 22. It will be interesting to see if any of these bands of the moment can come anywhere near the sonic grace of Nanci Griffith’s cover of “Speed at the Sound Of Loneliness” from a few years back.