In celebration of what would have been John Prine’s 74th birthday, the upcoming You Got Gold: Celebrating The Life & Songs Of John Prine, a week-long series of Prine-themed tribute concerts, scheduled to begin on Oct. 3 and conclude on Prine’s birthday, Oct. 10, is being assessed by the John Prine family, and is dependent on the severity of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
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In social media posts and on the official John Prine website, the Prine Family said they are continuing to monitor the current COVID situation and that everyone’s safety is their main priority.
“For over a year now we have been planning a celebration to honor and remember John,” read the post. “Throughout our entire process, we have kept the safety of his fans, the artists, and crew at the forefront of our minds. We are constantly monitoring the local and national case numbers and are working with venues on how to make sure the You Got Gold events keep everyone as safe as possible.”
The first two You Got Gold concerts, featuring all-start lineups, are scheduled to take place at The Ryman on Oct. 6 and 7 with the third at the CMA Theater at The Country Music Hall of Fame on Oct. 8, while the Basement East will host a more intimate performance on Oct. 9. Proceeds from the concert series will benefit the Hello In There Foundation, a non-profit founded by the Prine Family in his memory.
On Oct. 8, the tribute album is also scheduled for release. Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine, Vol. 2, a posthumous sequel to Prine’s 2010 release Vol. 1, features covers by Sturgill Simpson, Brandi Carlile, Justin Townes Earle, the Avett Brothers, Sara Watkins, and Drive-By Truckers.
In their statement, the family asked that attendees get fully vaccinated and that they will provide information on venue policies and refunds in the coming days.
“We will be back soon with our full plan, but want to be transparent with you in our thought process,” said the Prine family. “There will be several layers to our safety plan, but we can say now that we will require all attendees to be fully vaccinated. There is still time to get fully vaccinated before these shows, if you haven’t already done so… We so appreciate all of your continuing support.”
