Celebrated singer-songwriter John Prine will forever be remembered for his heartfelt narrative tunes, often woven with a sly satire and textured with his smokey baritone. He was honest about life and love, painting in song the truths that he knew, the wisdom he collected over a five-decade career.
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His live performances were just as awe-inspiring as the songs he sang. Below are five of them in honor of his passing on this day in 2020.
1. “Paradise” (Live)
Before every song John Prine sang live, there seemed to be a story, a lengthy, wit-filled tale about how the song came to be. In the video below, he speaks for a while with John Burns who was accompanying him on guitar and harmonies. The pair then went into a performance of his 1971 hit, “Paradise.” It is a simple, but powerful display as the two steadily strum to Prine’s captivating words.
2. “Jesus: The Missing Years” (Live at Austin City Limits, 1992)
The performance of his song “Jesus: The Missing Years” begins with a chuckle-inducing tale of the song’s origins before he launches into the foot-tapping tune. With each new verse, laughter arose from the crowd as Prine cooly rattled off the sacrilege-soaked satire.
3. “In Spite of Ourselves” with Iris DeMent (Live From Sessions at West 54th)
In the Prine fashion, he kicks off his cheeky duet, “In Spite of Ourselves,” by making sure the crowd was laughing. He, alongside singer Iris DeMent, croons out the lovable ballad, both of their distinct twangs lingering after each word.
4. Clay Pigeons (Live)
Listening to Prine’s take on Blaze Foley’s “Clay Pigeons” is an unmatched experience, but beholding his rendition live is even more so. His voice is graveled and lonesome as he shapes the song word-for-word into a heart-wrenching, near-life-changing listen.
5. “I Remember Everything” (Live)
Performing “I Remember Everything,” Prine stuns. He’s not cracking jokes and telling outrageous stories to a grinning audience, he’s in a room, seated with head down. It wasn’t the onstage banter that made John Prine a marvel, it was the songs he sang and the way he sang them that made listeners feel seen and understood.
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Photo by Rett Rogers / Sacks & Co.
