What do you write when you don’t know what to write? No, really, I’m looking for a little help here. I guess the nature of this interaction kinda precludes getting your help today. So I’m gonna try something I’ve never done here before. While scrolling through the backstage portion of the website I noticed I’ve got 5 drafts of posts that withered on the vine. For, I think, a variety of reasons. One, for example, has a final line of “I’ve just hit a wall here…….” so I guess that one’s pretty self explanatory. But idk why I dropped this one where I did. Maybe a similar reason? At any rate, I decided I’m going to take a previously unfinished draft and, well, finish it. So, without further ado, I take you back to April of 2020 and let’s try and put a bow in this one.
Usually when I pick a title such as the one here, I apologize to the original author. Not today. Last week the world lost an incredible artist. John Prine died from complications of COVID-19.
Obviously, this is not breaking news. And, in the grand scheme of things, maybe it’s nothing more than a blip on our collective radar. I mean after all, world-wide the death toll has passed 100,000 and of that number many famous (and, I’m sure, infamous) people have died. So why did this one seem to strike the chord it did? All I know is, I’m not smart enough to know.
What I do know is this. As I’ve read the various articles written about him this past week, it was obvious how influential he was on modern music. I read one piece that described him as the “Godfather of Americana” music and I think that’s perfectly appropriate. He was an amazing songwriter and, until his passing, I never really thought about that particular skillset of his. Shame on me. I first became aware of John Prine around 1976 or 1977. I worked in a restaurant at the time, and two of the other cooks, Ray and Skip, would sing Prine songs. Specifically “Illegal Smile“ (Ray) and “Please Don’t Bury Me“ (Skip) as we worked. I was also listening to XRT by this time, so I became familiar with other John Prine songs from his first couple albums. Here’s the part I never really considered until now though. He was 24 years old when he wrote songs like “Hello In There” and “Sam Stone” and “Paradise” and if you’re not familiar with any of them hit those links. Even if you do know the songs, they’re always worth a listen. And, as always, If I knew how to link to YT without the #*%#@% ads, I would. So apologies in advance for that. One of the other things that always blows my mind about John Prine is this- he was “discovered” by Roger Ebert, the Pulitzer Prize winning movie critic from the Chicago Sun-Times, at a small club in Lincoln Park. At the time Ebert saw him, John was still a letter carrier for the USPS in suburban Chicago, Westchester, I think.
John Prine is high on the list of artists I wish I’d seen when I had the chance. Although oddly enough, B2 and I did see his son Tommy, at his, iirc first solo show, over by Chapel Hill a couple three years ago. I’m pretty sure we’ve seen him twice now and actually, as I type this out, I’m pretty sure I mentioned seeing Tommy Prine in a post shortly after the fact. Hah! Sometimes I scare myself, lol. Here is the aforementioned post and the bonus is, since it’s from the 2nd time we saw him, I can relate my little tale about the first time.
I have no recollection how I learned of the original show, probably an email from the venue, but that’s just a guess. The opener was a name that, when I read it, I thought was familiar, but couldn’t place it, so that drifted off into the ether. The night of the show came and we found ourselves (we were easy to find, we know what we look like) at a small venue (The Back Room) which is part of a larger venue (Cat’s Cradle) that is legendary in the Chapel Hill, Durham, Raleigh area. As we walked in, I saw one of the flyers for the show listing Peter Holsapple as the opening act and, once agin, the name felt familiar, but I still couldn’t place it. The show started and Peter came up on stage and started playing a song that also sounded familiar. When he got to the chorus I recognized it as a song by the DB’s and the lightbulb finally lit. Peter Holsapple was half of the songwriting team (along with Chris Stamey) of that very band.
Here we are, now six years ish after the fact so obviously I couldn’t tell you much of what either of them played, but I can tell you we had a wonderful time along with the 40 or 50 other people that came out to the show. What I do remember is that Tommy played mostly original music, although he did play one or two of his Dad’s. Maybe Paradise, maybe Angel from Montgomery, I’m not sure but he did a fine job either way.
Ok, Imma wrap this up now. I feel like I accomplished at least a little something by A.) getting an old draft wrapped up and B.) getting words on a page again, so I’ll take it as a win. Oddly enough, even though the post centers on John Prine and his son Tommy, I’ve been listening instead to one of my playlists , titled Speeding Ticket, as I try and hammer away at the keyboard. Don’t ask, I can’t explain the way my brain works (or doesn’t) but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my musical choice du jour.
Peace
