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PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 6 July 2017
At 70, John Prine is the hippest songwriter in Nashville

By KRISTIN M. HALL ings alongside some of his “He’s a big kid. So naturally
Associated Press most well-known songs, he gets along with people
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — from “Sam Stone,” ‘’Angel that are younger than him.
The first time a new country from Montgomery,” ‘’Para- But also he probably rec-
songwriter named Kacey dise,” and “Hello in There.” ognizes himself in a lot of
Musgraves saw one of her Prine’s reinvigorated ca- the up-and-coming song-
songwriting heroes, John reer came after neck can- writers that respect him.”
Prine, she had an unusual cer in the late ‘90s left him Even a trip to the grocery
proposition when she ap- with a much lower and grit- store is an opportunity for
proached. tier voice. After his recov- aspiring writers to pitch
“I said, ‘Hey, my name is ery, he just moved his songs him. “I used to leave Kroger
Kacey and I am a really big to lower key. with cassettes in my pock-
fan. I don’t want to offend “Some of my oldest songs ets because people would
you or anything, but is there that I used to perform ev- drop CDs and cassettes
any way you might want to ery night became brand because they want John
burn one with me?’” Mus- spanking new just because Prine to hear it,” Prine said.
graves recalled saying af- I changed the key,” Prine His last album in 2016 was a In this June 20, 2017, photo, John Prine poses in his office in
ter one of his shows in Nash- said. collection of classic coun- Nashville, Tenn.
ville, Tennessee. He started his own record try duets with artists like Associated Press
Musgraves, who would lat- label Oh Boy in Nashville in Musgraves, Alison Krauss vinced him it was time cana Honors and Awards
er go on to win two Gram- the early ‘80s, which sold and Miranda Lambert. He again. show held in September.
my Awards for her 2013 ma- his CDs by direct mail to hasn’t released an album He’s going back in the stu- “I like the scene in Nash-
jor label debut album, was fans. He enjoys his indepen- of new songs in 12 years, dio in July to record new ville,” Prine said. “I am not
hoping to fulfill a fantasy of dence from major labels, but his wife and manager, music and he’s also been particularly happy with
smoking a joint with Prine. It even if it has meant fewer Fiona, and his son, Jody, nominated for artist of the modern country music, but
was also the premise of an sales. He says his only ad- who runs his label, con- year at this year’s Ameri- it’s part of a tradition. q
unreleased song she had vice to young songwriters is
written that somehow end- don’t give up their publish-
ed up on Prine’s desk. ing rights in a record deal.
Prine, who has survived a “I am not a big one for ad-
couple of bouts of cancer, vice,” Prine said. “I will tell
politely declined. them stories about things I
“He says, ‘Well, I don’t do have failed at or places I
that anymore, but if I did, have stumbled and hope
I would with you,’” Mus- they take it as a parable.
graves, who is now 28, re- And maybe apply it to
called. themselves and maybe
This 70-year-old former not.”
mailman from Chicago is Auerbach and Prine wrote
the hippest writer in Nash- several songs together, in-
ville and still in demand. cluding the title track for
Prine has become an af- Auerbach’s new solo al-
fable songwriting guru for bum, “Waiting On a Song.”
many of Nashville’s talent- “It was like having a conver-
ed young artists, including sation really,” the 38-year-
country rebel Sturgill Simp- old singer said of writing
son, Americana darlings with Prine. “And I think for
Jason Isbell and his wife, me, that’s what John does
Amanda Shires, and rocker so well with his music. It’s
Dan Auerbach of the Black not over your head. He
Keys. uses simple language to
All those artists have lined convey big meaning.”
up to open for Prine, when The Grammy-winner has
they are easily selling out taken on heavy topics in-
their own venues as head- cluding coal mining on Ap-
liners. palachia, the treatment of
“I have met some really Vietnam veterans and the
great people in the last five loneliness of growing old,
years that it’s easy to see and earned praises from
that music in general is in Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt
good hands,” Prine said in and Kris Kristofferson, who
an interview from his office, helped Prine get his first re-
which is decorated year cord deal. But he also likes
round with Christmas lights to write with humor, as evi-
and a white Christmas tree. denced by another popu-
Prine published his first book lar duet with Iris Dement
in April, a songbook called “In Spite of Ourselves,” that
“Beyond Words,” which contains some of his best
features guitar chords, one-liners about love and
family photos, handwritten marriage.
or typed lyrics with his ed- “I think John is very youthful
iting marks and witty mus- at heart,” Musgraves said.