John Prine was one of the best of the folk-flavoured
singer/songwriters that emerged alongside Neil Young and others in the early
Seventies. Prine, who is still active today, is one of the wittiest songwriters
of the singer/songwriter clan. When he appeared on the scene in the early Seventies,
he was designated by some writers as a “New Dylan,” an up and coming singer/songwriter
with talent and integrity reminiscent of the young Dylan.
Prine was born in Maywood ,
Illinois , in 1946, and following a stint in
the US Postal Service, became involved in the Chicago folk scene of the late Sixties. A
chance meeting with pop singer Paul Anka led to a chance to record, and his
brilliant debut album, “John Prine” was released in 1971. Prine's debut was a
superb collection of topical songs that included, “Sam Stone,” a tale of a drug-addicted
Vietnam veteran, “Hello in
There,” a song about the neglect of the elderly, and “Paradise ,”
a plea for the conservation of nature.
Prine's sophomore effort, “Diamonds in the
Rough” (1972) was another fine work with solid songs such as the title track
and “They Ought to Name a Drink after You,” all delivered with spare accompaniment.
“Sweet Revenge,” an album that rivals Prine's terrific debut album as his best
release, followed in 1973. Sweet Revenge was another superb collection of folk
and country-inflected songs, this time with the support of a larger studio
band. Highlights from this one include, “Christmas in Prison,” “Please Don’t
Bury Me,” “Dear Abby,” and “Mexican Home.”
Prine's next few albums saw him exploring a
more rock-oriented sound fleshed out by a backing band that included electric
guitar, bass, and heavy drums. The effect was partially-successful on solid
releases such as “Common Sense” (1975) and “Pink Cadillac” (1979). “Bruised Orange ,” an excellent
release from 1978, was a return to his simpler folk sound.
The Eighties was a quiet period for Prine
from a recording standpoint. He recorded a few studio albums, but nothing of
note.
In 1991, however, Prine was back with a
vengeance. With the help of fellow musicians and admirers such as Bruce
Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt and Tom Petty, he recorded another classic, “The
Missing Years,” a brilliant folk-rock album brimming with top notch songs such
as “Picture Show,” “Great Rain,” “The Sins of Memphisto,” and the title track.
John Prine |
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