“Midwestern Mindtrips”: Why Bob Dylan Names John Prine Among His Favorite Songwriters Ever

Bob Dylan is hailed as one of the greatest living songwriters. His work has impacted countless listeners, inspired generations of artists, and sparked hundreds of covers. His lyrics even earned him a Nobel Prize for Literature. More than a songwriter, Dylan is a fan of music. As a result, he was just as impressed by the songwriting of John Prine as everyone else.

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According to Far Out Magazine, Dylan met Prine days before the latter’s debut album hit shelves in October 1971. As the story goes, Prine had watched Kris Kristofferson perform. Then, the pair of future legends went to Carly Simon’s apartment to hang out after the show. Before long, someone knocked on the door. That someone was Dylan who was returning to the scene after a hiatus.

[RELATED: The Bob Dylan Song That Impressed Bob Dylan]

“We got introduced and pretty soon the guitars came out. I got to singing one of my songs called ‘Far from Me,’” Prine recalled. “My first album was three weeks away from being released and all of a sudden, Bob Dylan starts singing along. I’m sitting there thinking, ‘I know all your songs, but how do you know mine?’”

Bob Dylan Praises John Prine

Decades later, in 2009, Bob Dylan sat down with The Huffington Post. During his conversation with the publication, he shared his thoughts on a wide variety of topics including his favorite songwriters. John Prine was among them.

Huffington Post correspondent Bill Flanagan asked Dylan to name his favorite songwriters. “Buffet I guess. Lightfoot, Warren Zevon, Randy [Newman], John Prine, Guy Clark, those kinds of writers,” he replied.

Then, Flanagan asked him to expand on what he liked about Prine’s writing. “Prine’s stuff is pure Proustian existentialism,” Dylan said. “Midwestern mindtrips to the Nth degree. And he writes beautiful songs,” he added.

“I remember when Kris Kristofferson first brought him on the scene. All that stuff about ‘Sam Stone’ the soldier junkie daddy and ‘Donald and Lydia’ where people make love from miles away. Nobody but Prine could write like that,” Dylan said. “If I had to pick one song of his, it might be ‘Lake Marie.’ I don’t remember what album that’s on,” he added.

“Lake Marie” is on Prine’s 1996 album Lost Dogs + Mixed Blessings. Watch him perform it on Austin City Limits below.

Featured Image by Dave J Hogan/Getty Images for ABA

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