Members recordingtrack1 Posted April 22, 2006 Members Posted April 22, 2006 Any of you guys like John Prine? He has always been one of my heros. Not that he is a great player necessarily but he is one heck of a fine songwriter.
Members SpaceCowboy409 Posted April 22, 2006 Members Posted April 22, 2006 I love him. A really great and original songwriter. I read somewhere that "Hello in there" was the first song he ever wrote. What a start! Plenty of writers never produce anything that brilliant.
Members JasmineTea Posted April 22, 2006 Members Posted April 22, 2006 I grew up listening to his first two albums. I know all the words and every little nuance of those two albums. After that though, my Prine-knowledge is limited. Prine's lyrics are fascinating in that everytime you hear or read them, you find a different angle in the meaning that you did'nt see before, IMO.
Members carguy Posted April 22, 2006 Members Posted April 22, 2006 I have been a huge fan of John Prine for years. Saw him in concert in Phila. about 25 years ago. Listen to the song Mexican Home from his Sweet Revenge album, and if you can find it, listen to his live version. Outstanding.
Members knockwood Posted April 22, 2006 Members Posted April 22, 2006 I feel like a bit of an ass - have never heard of the man and it sounds like I should have. Should give me something to do over the weekend...
Members JasmineTea Posted April 22, 2006 Members Posted April 22, 2006 Originally posted by knockwood I feel like a bit of an ass - have never heard of the man and it sounds like I should have. Should give me something to do over the weekend... The first album is the one to get. It's just called "John Prine". There's a pic on the cover of him sitting on a bail of hay. I can't guaranty you'll dig the music, although it is very good and well produced, but you might still appreciate the lyrical content. Someone once said "He's 25 but he wrights like he's 225".
Members fretmess Posted April 22, 2006 Members Posted April 22, 2006 One of the few who can really pull off the "one man / one guitar" thing live.
Members recordingtrack1 Posted April 22, 2006 Author Members Posted April 22, 2006 I was fortunate enough to see him in the legendary "Poet's Music Hall" in Memphis when he was at about his peak in about 1978. I was an extremely impressionable teenager of about 18 or 19 and was absolutely taken with his style. He had a whole electric band with him though he did a few solo pieces, the guy could rock pretty good. It's that balladeer story telling thing that really gets me the most about him. I could never get away from acoustic guitars after that, not that I really wanted to in the first place, but at that time we were all about electric stuff. Another person I was lucky enough to get to see at Poet's was Willis Alan Ramsey. To me he is a "ghost of greatness". He came out with one magnificent album and never was heard from since. His album is timeless and the story has it that he is still touring somewhere to this day, though I don't know where. These guys music is the ultimate cool, like old Jimmy Buffet before he sold out to the corporation. RT1
Members guit30 Posted April 22, 2006 Members Posted April 22, 2006 Great guy, his last CD was good too
Members Mr Handman Posted April 22, 2006 Members Posted April 22, 2006 Fair & Square....his latest CD is fantastic!I saw him in DC last summer at the Warner Theater......another Great showPerformed by this Master singer / songwriter / performer *Constantinople is a mighty long wordGot three more letters than mockingbirdYou put me on a morning train...*Prine =
Members 6942 Posted April 22, 2006 Members Posted April 22, 2006 Always liked his songwriting & style. Saw him in 1979, at Montgomery Junior College, in Rockville, Maryland.
Members catdaddy Posted April 22, 2006 Members Posted April 22, 2006 Originally posted by recordingtrack1 I was fortunate enough to see him in the legendary "Poet's Music Hall" in Memphis when he was at about his peak in about 1978. Can't buy that "at his peak" stuff. Listen to any of his work over the last 3 decades and its all just consistently terrific. One of the best American songwriters of the last half century.Knockwood: If you want a really great over view of John Prine's music check out his "Great Days" anthology. Got stuff there that spans most of his career. Also covers a lot of ground stylistically with live solo stuff to electrified studio full band cuts.
Members bigby Posted April 22, 2006 Members Posted April 22, 2006 Weird..was actually listening to him yesterday after coming across an old cd of his that I hadn't popped in in years. I love his contribution to "Angel From Montgomery" with Bonnie Rait; great stuff..
Members daklander Posted April 23, 2006 Members Posted April 23, 2006 Originally posted by knockwood I feel like a bit of an ass - have never heard of the man and it sounds like I should have. Should give me something to do over the weekend... If you want a quite full range of Prine's stuff, pick up a copy of Anthology. It's got some of many of his albums on it and a very good cross section. I probably cover more John Prine songs than anyone elses with Fred Eaglesmith next.
Members SusanV Posted April 23, 2006 Members Posted April 23, 2006 Bigby... Prine WROTE "Angel From Montgomery" Wonderful song.He's as good as it gets IMO. I've seen him twice in small venues, and he was amazing. I love the way he uses words."the air smelled like snakes and we'd shoot with our pistols, but empty pop bottles was all we would kill""The Speed of the Sound of Loneliness"and a real fav of mine... "Christmas in Prison"It was christmas in prisonAnd the food was real goodWe had turkey and pistolsCarved out of woodAnd I dream of her alwaysEven when I don
Members leftync Posted April 23, 2006 Members Posted April 23, 2006 ai saw prine at the philadelphia folk festival in 1974, and a time or two in boston after that. angel from montgomery with bonnie raitt is terrific, as his duets with the late, great steve goodman. if you can get them doing souvineers, you'll love it.
Members daklander Posted April 23, 2006 Members Posted April 23, 2006 Originally posted by SusanV and a real fav of mine... "Christmas in Prison"It was christmas in prison....I
Members Mr Handman Posted April 23, 2006 Members Posted April 23, 2006 The late great John Garfield blues and come back to us, Barbara Lewis are among my favorite Prine songs. Come to think of it, I like every one I've heard .......I have Bruised Orange on the turntable right now (with my coffee)
Members John Backlund Posted April 23, 2006 Members Posted April 23, 2006 I would hope that John Prine could somehow read this thread. I don't know the guy personally, but I love him and his music.The first (very nervous) vocal song that I attempted at the small open mikes around here was John Prine's 'Paradise'. Regardless of my amateurish, somewhat lame rendition of this song, people would still clap or stomp their feet to it.Saw him perform live at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis many years ago. A great evening. Thanks John!
Members bjorn-fjord Posted April 23, 2006 Members Posted April 23, 2006 Yeah, John Prine. Honesty, folky wisdom, humor, and great storytelling. He's as good now as he was on his first album IMO. Fair and Square is wonderful. Every single song is strong.
Members MainzMan Posted April 24, 2006 Members Posted April 24, 2006 Oh yeah, I love that guy. The Missing Years was the first CD I ever bought and is one of the most played. The first song of his I heard was Sam Stone and I loved it. I probably play more of his songs than anyone else's, they're just so good. The man is a genius. His style is also one of the only ones that suits my voice!
Members doug osborne Posted April 24, 2006 Members Posted April 24, 2006 A very interesting biography from his record label Oh Boy. From a stint in the Army to delivering mail for the US Postal service to the Earle of Old Town... He recently had cancer, but is back with his new album and tour, and is writing great stuff.
Members doug osborne Posted April 24, 2006 Members Posted April 24, 2006 Originally posted by recordingtrack1 ...Another person I was lucky enough to get to see at Poet's was Willis Alan Ramsey. To me he is a "ghost of greatness". He came out with one magnificent album and never was heard from since. His album is timeless and the story has it that he is still touring somewhere to this day, though I don't know where.... Willis is recording a new album and probably will tour to support it.
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