Miscellaneous John Prine
awards, articles, and reviews

The National Association for Music Education releases PSA announcements

September 2004
Why Music? is a series of radio public service announcements produced twice annually by MENC to coincide with Music In Our Schools Month in March and with the traditional beginning of school in late August. The series features top country, pop, jazz, and classical artists talking about the value of music education. The pop version is sent to more than 1000 adult contemporary stations; the country version is sent to 1000+ country stations. Both versions are also made available to 30 radio networks and are offered to National Public Radio stations via satellite feed. MENC produces the series with funding provided by Gibson Guitar and Baldwin Piano. The Country Music Association, ASCAP, National Music Council, and Wolf Trap, America's National Park for the Performing Arts, have assisted in facilitating artist participation. New artists joining the lineup for "Back to School" 2004 are Bruce Hornsby, Bonnie Raitt, The Oakridge Boys, classical musicians The Ahn Trio, and jazz great Gordon Goodwin. Returning artists are Chely Wright, Willie Nelson, Sara Evans, Faith Hill, Tim Mcgraw, Vince Gille, Trace Adkins, Travis Tritt, Gloria Estefan, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Shawn Colvin, Roger McGuinn, John Prine and Vanessa Williams. A complete list of artists participating in the series and more information can be viewed at www.menc.org/information/advocate/psa.html.

Country: Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Stephen Foster (* * * ½)

http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/reviews/2004-08-30-listen-up_x.htm
In his grave 140 years, America's first professional songwriter can still make most modern ones look like hacks, especially with the likes of Mavis Staples, The Mavericks' Raul Malo and Alison Krauss (with cellist Yo Yo Ma) interpreting his exquisite melodies. Suzy Bogguss' winsome Ah, May the Red Rose Live Always is the revelation, but John Prine's creaky-porch rendition of My Old Kentucky Home matches voice to song perfectly.

Thornton, Prine, others have fun with weird 'Daddy and Them'

By: John Douglas
http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grpress/index.ssf?/base/entertainment-0/1093013168121690.xml  
  It turns out John Prine, the singer/songwriter, is a pretty fair actor.
  Prine, who performs in concert tonight in the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park amphitheater, has a good role in the film "Daddy and Them," which was written and directed by Billy Bob Thornton. Prine managed to keep up with such talented actors as Thornton, Laura Dern, Brenda Blethyn, Kelly Preston and Andy Griffith. 
  In fact, Prine's deadpan portrayal of a book-reading redneck is one of the best things in this little-seen movie. "Daddy and Them" did not receive wide release when it came out in 2001, and it is easy to see why. The film moves forward in fits and starts. But even at that, the film manages to be a lot of fun. 
  "Daddy and Them" is about a weird family of rednecks who get together when Hazel Montgomery (Jim Varney), one of the members of the family, is charged with armed robbery and thrown into jail. In support of Hazel, O.T. Montgomery (Griffith) brings the family together, and that includes Hazel's new British bride (Blethyn). 
  Also making the trip are Claude Montgomery (Thornton) and his wife, Ruby (Dern), and Ruby's mother, played by Dern's real-life mother, Diane Ladd. 
  Ruby and Claude are an odd pair. They seem to be in love, but Ruby can't seem to get over the fact Claude had dated her sister Rose (Preston). 
  Hazel's lawyers are played by Jamie Lee Curtis and Ben Affleck. They are a husband-and-wife team of lawyers and can't stop arguing long enough to discuss the case. 
  It is all like a family reunion from hell, but much of it is funny, if not a bit contrived. 
  I never get tired of watching Thornton work. I've been a fan ever since I became aware of him in a wonderful little film called "One False Move" back in 1992. He wrote and acted in that thriller, which you definitely should see. Thornton is just fun to watch, and his characters almost always are interesting, whether the film is good or bad. 
  "Daddy and Them" is the best thing I've seen Andy Griffith in since "A Face in the Crowd" in 1957, so if you like him, you will like his role in this movie. 
  The DVD of "Daddy and Me" has a short documentary on the film and some very amusing extra scenes, and Thornton gives commentary under them as well as under the film. 
  One of the most interesting extra features is the appearance on the set of Carl, the principal character from the film "Sling Blade." Carl (Thornton) and Prine have a straight discussion for quite a few minutes. 
  It's all good stuff.

Crowell, Overstreet, Prine and Blair

http://www.cmt.com/news/events/cma2003/ascap.110403.jhtml
by: Edward Morris 11/03/2003
  A wall-to-wall crowd of music business figures and their families stood repeatedly to cheer Sunday night (Nov. 2) as the Nashville Songwriters Foundation welcomed Rodney Crowell, Paul Overstreet, John Prine and the late Hal Blair into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. The black-tie ceremony, which traditionally launches the annual Country Music Week, took place at Nashville's Loews Vanderbilt Plaza.
  Prior to the inductions, the Nashville Songwriters Association International named the prolific Jeffrey Steele songwriter of the year, Toby Keith songwriter-artist of the year and "Three Wooden Crosses" song of the year. In addition, the NSAI honored the writers of 11 songs in the songwriter achievement category, a division now familiarly dubbed as "songs I wish I'd written."
  While the nationally telecast CMA (Country Music Association) Awards Show, scheduled for Wednesday (Nov. 5) this year, gets the most publicity, the Hall of Fame soiree is clearly developing into a more entertaining event, at least among the locals. That's because it spotlights songs that have become classics or sentimental favorites, performances that are simple but heartfelt and an endless flow of songwriting stories.
  Blair, who died in 2001 after a long career of writing both for records and the movies, was the first inductee of the evening. Music historian Robert K. Oermann said that bringing him into the Hall of Fame was "the right thing to do," noting that his frequent co-writer, Don Robertson, was already a member. In a letter sent for the occasion, Robertson labeled his old friend "a real American original." Music publisher Dean Kay, who also used to write with Blair, spoke of what an inspiring force he was. Riders in the Sky sang the Blair familiars "When It's Autumn on the Trail," "Please Help Me I'm Falling," "Ringo" and "One Has My Name (The Other Has My Heart)," the last of which is deemed one of country music's first "cheating" songs.
  Speaking via a prerecorded video, Randy Travis gave the induction commentary for Overstreet, who had provided him such hits as "On The Other Hand," "Forever And Ever, Amen" and "Deeper Than A Holler." In co-writing with Overstreet, Travis admitted, "Sometimes I felt like I was sitting at his feet and taking dictation." Fellow composers Jim Collins and Rory Lee, accompanying themselves on guitars, sang a seven-song sampler from Overstreet's rich catalog, including "A Long Line of Love," "Seein' My Father In
Me," "Daddy's Come Around," "When You Say Nothing at All" and "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy." When he took the stage to accept his "Manny" (for manuscript) Award, Overstreet was quick to praise his fellow nominees. "A lot of these guys I learned to write from
by co-writing with them and listening to them on the radio."
  Producer Tony Brown rolled out the verbal welcome mat for Crowell, his friend and one-time fellow member of Emmylou Harris' band. Alluding to the fall early this year that put him in a coma and almost cost him his life, Brown joked, "I know you're all wondering: Can
he speak full sentences?" He could and did. Brown told of first meeting Crowell in 1977 and of how the songwriter had become his faithful friend in the ensuing years, a closeness that was particularly evident after Brown's injury. He said he was dazzled by the poetry of Crowell's lyrics and quoted as an example, "Down every road that lies before me now/There are some turns where I may spin," from "'Til I Gain Control Again."
  Oddly enough, when Vince Gill and Harris walked on stage to perform some of Crowell's songs, Harris tripped as she approached Brown and fell hard. "I can't believe I did that," Harris said pluckily, as she attempted to regain her feet. After satisfying himself that Harris was all right, Gill cracked, "If you hadn't been so late, we wouldn't have gotten so drunk." "Well," said Harris, "my leg ain't broke, so you don't have to shoot me." With order restored, the two streamed through the Crowell gems "I Ain't Living Long Like This," 'Til I Gain Control Again," "Song for the Life" and "Leavin' Louisiana in the Broad Daylight."
  In accepting his award, Crowell spoke of his mother and father and their grounding in country music that encouraged him. "My mother and father met at a Roy Acuff concert in Buchanan, Tenn., in 1942," he related. Ten years later, when Crowell was 2 years
old, his father took him to see Hank Williams perform. Forever after, he said, his father would tell him, "Now you remember, I took you to see old Hank. . . . I finally realized my father wanted to say, ‘That's me up there. That's who I want to be.' Somehow, I just
think of my father [and wonder] what would he think [about this]."
  Crowell expressed gratitude to his cousin, Larry Willoughby, now an executive with Capitol Records. "We
used to play this game called ‘Elvis Presley and Tommy Sands.' He was Elvis and I was Tommy Sands." (Sands was a short-lived teen idol of the late 1950s, whose biggest hit was "Teen-Age Crush.") His cousin got the Elvis role, Crowell explained, because he was "older and cooler." To summarize his own good fortune and that of songwriters in general, Crowell proclaimed, "My life is filled with love -- and we get to make stuff up."
  Mark Alan Springer, chairman of the Nashville Songwriters Foundation, brought Kris Kristofferson to the stage with a story of how, as a farm kid in Arkansas, he was so impressed by Kristofferson's music that he spent his hard-earned money on an eight-track tape, which he eventually wore out. It was his first inclination, he said, to become a songwriter himself. Ambling into the spotlight during the applause that followed Springer's introduction, Kristofferson observed, "I told somebody back there that I felt like I was at my own funeral."
  Krisofferson's duty was to tell the crowd about Prine, whom he first met in Chicago when he was touring nationally and Prine was still a strictly local attraction. He explained that he heard of Prine through Steve Goodman, the writer of "City of New Orleans." Goodman implored him to go to the Earl of Old Town club to hear Prine. Kristofferson said he had been touring incessantly at the time, was sick and was being besieged by songwriters who hoped to catch his ear. "I was throwing up in a toilet down there, and this guy was singing me a song about his mother dying." Nonetheless, he said, he went to the club, accompanied by an unlikely retinue of fellow celebrities that included songwriter Paul Anka and actors Melvin Van Peebles and Samantha Eggar. When they got there, the club had closed for the night, and Prine was sleeping in a booth. Once awakened, Kristofferson continued, Prine did "about a dozen"
songs that would eventually become folk standards. "I asked him if he would go back and sing them all again and anything else he had written." It was through Kristofferson's enthusiasm and intercession that Prine got his first recording contract. "If God's got a favorite songwriter," Kristofferson concluded, "I think it's John Prine."
  Jack Clement and Roger Cook, who, like Krisofferson, are already members of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, sang Prine's "Souvenirs," "Speed of the Sound of Loneliness," "I Just Want to Dance With You," "Hello in There" and "Paradise" (with which the crowd sang along). Cook, who co-wrote "I Just Want to Dance With You," said he and Prine used to sit up late at night playing dominoes and writing songs. "Sometimes," he added, "we wrote songs, waiting for our second wives to come home."
  Just as it looked as through the evening was about to close, Bonnie Raitt came on stage to sing her praises of Prine, whom she said she had known and admired for 30 years. "Boy, I tell you it was worth coming from California for this," she exclaimed. "I'm so moved by [their performance of] ‘Hello in There,' I don't know if I can sing. . . . I'm so verklempt, I sound like Stevie Nicks." With that, Raitt invited Nashville singer-songwriter Beth Nielsen Chapman to join her in performing Prine's ageless "Angel From Montgomery."
  Appearing nearly overcome by the rampant adulation, Prine spoke only briefly, praising his benefactor, the late Steve Goodman, and thanking Kristofferson for his support, as well as his longtime manager and record label chief, Al Bunetta. He also had warm words for
Nashville songwriters. "I never had anybody in this town who ever told me to go back to Chicago and not write country songs."
  The NSAI awards preceded the inductions. Responding to his songwriter of the year award, Steele said, "I've got to thank my wife, Stephanie, who's been putting up with me for the past 22 years." He also paid tribute to Kristofferson, "who's been the biggest influence on my life. I was rock 'n' rolling on the Sunset Strip, and my dad said, ‘Son, you ain't s**t if you don't listen to Kris Kristofferson.'" Doug Johnson and Kim Williams accepted song of the year honors for their "Three Wooden Crosses." Toby Keith was cited as songwriter-artist of the year for "Beer for My Horses" and "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)."
  Songwriter achievement plaudits were given to the writers of "A Lot of Things Different" (Bill Anderson, Dean Dillon); "Almost Home" (Craig Morgan, Kerry Kurt Phillips); "Celebrity" (Brad Paisley); "Drift Away" (Mentor Williams); "I Believe" (Donny Kees, Skip Ewing); "Somebody Like You" (John Shanks, Keith Urban); "Stay Gone" (Jimmy Wayne, Billy Kirsch); "The Impossible" (Kelley Lovelace, Lee Thomas Miller); "Then They Do" (Jim Collins, Sunny Russ); "Three Wooden Crosses" (Johnson, Williams); and "Travelin' Soldier" (Bruce Robison). Because they were touring, Keith, Paisley and Urban were not on hand to accept their awards.
  In a prelude to the inductions, Fred Knobloch and Karen Staley sang "Bye Bye Love," "I Fall to Pieces," "I Still Miss Someone," "Tennessee Waltz" and "Fever."
  NSAI executive director Bart Herbison warned of the dangers confronting songwriters from the illegal downloading of their songs, and U. S. House of Representatives member from Tennessee, Marsha Blackburn, spoke about the recent establishment of the Congressional songwriters caucus.

Rodney Crowell, John Prine, Paul Overstreet, Hal Blair Inducted Into Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame

By: CRAIG HAVIGHURST
Nov 2, 2003 at Loews Vanderbilt Hotel, Nashville, TN
  The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame added four diverse new members to its ranks last night. The witty and piercing John Prine and edge-of-country artist Rodney Crowell may be the most widely known. But fellow inductees Paul Overstreet and Hal Blair also contributed memorable songs to the country canon, some of which were performed by fellow artists at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel.
  In addition, the Nashville Songwriters Association International presented achievement awards in a ceremony that informally kicked off of the week of the Country Music Association's CMA Awards.
  Three Wooden Crosses, a Randy Travis hit by Kim Williams and Doug Johnson, was named song of the year. Jeffrey Steele was named songwriter of the year, and Toby Keith, who was not on hand, earned songwriter/artist of the year honors.
  Of the four inductees to the Hall of Fame, governed by the Nashville Songwriters Foundation, Prine's body of work lay furthest from Music Row, although it has country leanings. Songs such as Sam Stone, an anguished tale of a drug-addicted Vietnam veteran, and the cynical Sweet Revenge made the Chicago-based postman turned writer into an icon from the 1970s on.
  Bonnie Raitt, Cowboy Jack Clement and Roger Cook sang key Prine songs last night. Fellow songwriter Kris Kristofferson, who helped Prine land his first record deal, said, ''Because of the heart and the original imagination and the humor in all of his work, if God's got a favorite songwriter, I think it's John Prine.''
  Crowell had a distinguished career as a writer and sideman before smash success at radio, with five No. 1 singles from his album Diamonds & Dirt in 1988. Former bandmates Emmylou Harris and Vince Gill sang favorites such as I Ain't Living Long Like This and Song for the Life, while veteran record executive Tony Brown said Crowell's ''poetic brilliance is surpassed by his deep, graceful love for his friends and family.''
  Blair, who died in 2001, is famed in part for writing one of the first major country songs about infidelity, One Has My Name, The Other Has My Heart, as well as classics such as Please Help Me I'm Falling.
  Cowboy group Riders in the Sky played Blair's songs, and his induction was presided over by country music historian Robert K. Oermann. Blair's friend and co-writer Dean Kay accepted the award.
  Overstreet's songs also boosted the career of Randy Travis, including Forever and Ever Amen and On the Other Hand. Travis, on videotape, said Overstreet ''truly has a gift for it.'' Co-writing with Overstreet, ''I felt at times I was taking dictation,'' he said. Rory Lee and Jim Collins performed some hits that Overstreet wrote for himself and other artists.
  In addition, the NSAI honored 11 songs and their writers with annual writer-voted achievement awards, informally dubbed ''The Songs I Wish I'd Written.'' They were: A Lot Of Things Different by Bill Anderson and Dean Dillon, Almost Home by Craig Morgan and Kerry Kurt Phillips, Celebrity by Brad Paisley, Drift Away by Mentor Williams, I Believe by Donny Kees and Skip Ewing, Somebody Like You by John Shanks and Keith Urban, Stay Gone by Billy Kirsch and Jimmy Wayne, The Impossible by Kelley Lovelace and Lee Thomas Miller, Then They Do by Jim Collins and Sunny Russ, Three Wooden Crosses and Travelin' Soldier by Bruce Robison.
 http://www.tennessean.com/entertainment/news/cma/archives/03/10/41808644.shtml?Element_ID=41808644

Chicago Times Article 
Oct 9, 2003 By: DAVE HOEKSTRA Staff Reporter
Interesting bit of trivia......Clipped a paragraph from "Without a song... success" ------ "In the summer of 1984 Goodman brought in John Prine's band from the bullpen and recorded "Go Cubs Go" at Chicago Recording Co., where he produced Prine's album "Bruised Orange." John Burns played guitar, the late Chicago folkie Mike Jordan and Betsy Redhead were on vocals and Angelo Varias (my Cubs season ticket partner since 1985) was on percussion and vocals. Pat Leonard helped shape the tune. After "Go Cubs Go," Leonard became Madonna's musical director. Once the first tracks were down, Goodman recruited Cubs Jody Davis and Keith Moreland to add yelps and screams. Davis and Moreland were used to the recording studio. Along with Leon Durham, Gary Woods and Rick Sutcliffe, they recorded the 1984 country jukebox hit "Men in Blue." -- From the Chicago Sun Time

Zagat Rocks with First-Ever Music Guide

Sep 23, 2003 08:30 ET
10,000-Plus Music Fans Rate 1,000 Top Albums: Springsteen, Beatles, U2 Dominate Most Popular Recordings; Miles Davis, Coltrane, Aretha Franklin Discs Get Tops for Ratings

53% of Surveyors Download Music From Internet; 55% Burn Their Own CDs; Music is everywhere: Surveyors Listen 24 hours a week, at Home/In Clubs/Commuting/Working/Exercising

Bob Dylan Disc is Tops for Songwriting; Peter Gabriel takes Tops For Production; Guide Features Best Music For Making Out, Breaking Up, Cocktail Parties

NEW YORK, Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Zagat Survey has introduced its first-ever Music Guide, rating and reviewing the 1,000 Top Albums of All Time. With 10,656 participating listeners, the new Survey covers 22 different genres across eight decades of recorded music, bringing together everyone from Peggy Lee and Frank Sinatra to Michael Jackson, Elvis Costello, Phil Ochs, Toni Braxton, Brian Eno, Lauryn Hill, Radiohead, Dr. Dre, Phillip Glass, Massive Attack and The Stooges (not to worry: the book's extensive indexing makes it easy to identify even the most obscure artists).

For music shoppers, downloaders, traders and even pundits, the guide is the ideal source for locating the most memorable musical milestones of several generations. It's a great pocket-sized reference for anyone trying to choose a CD for friends or family. It also lets the music-obsessed see how everyone's greatest hits stack up.

The Music Guide is the latest in a growing series of new Zagat titles to reach well beyond the company's longstanding coverage of restaurants and hotels. Recent Zagat Surveys have provided consumer ratings and critiques for big-city Nightlife, Shopping, Theater, Movies, and America's Top Golf Courses.

The book makes clear that a new generation of consumerism has emerged for recorded and live music, one with a voracious appetite and wide-ranging tastes. The 10,656 Zagat participants reported devoting 24 hours a week to listening to music -- absorbed through multiple platforms, including over five hours a week on computers and MP3 players. And their willingness to spend suggests that the obituary for music retailers may be premature: surveyors drop an average of $343 on recorded music annually and own a whopping average of 516 albums and CDs each. And while music has penetrated every facet of our lives, 62% of the Zagat group still visit clubs and entertainment venues, seeing live performances almost once a month.

That consumers will bristle against the crackdown earlier this month by the Recording Industry Association of America on shared electronic music files is also evident from the Zagat findings. While most surveyors continue to sample music via radio and commercial recordings, 48% are listening on their computers. More telling, 53% are downloading tunes from the Internet and 55% say they burn their own CDs. Smart businesses are stepping up to address these new consumer trends.

"Our new Music Guide was a tremendous ear-opener for us," said Tim and Nina Zagat, the Survey's co-publishers. "The book has over 80 separate indexes -- by genre, by decade and by special features. It reveals much of what is new in music today, including the mainstream acceptance of computers in accessing all kinds of recordings. The results showed that surveyors continue to embrace classics in every category while staying up-to-the minute with the latest trends and artists, many of whom were definitely new to both of us. Indeed, this book vastly stretched our own musical vocabularies."

"We knew this Survey would be especially challenging since musical taste is so personal and top picks of all time stir passionate arguments," the Zagats added. "To our delight, participants showcased their tastes with a depth of knowledge that stands up to the most critical musical ear -- these are people who know chapter and verse on their preferred genres and they avidly shared memories and associations that their favorite recordings evoke. The Music Guide gives serious listeners access to the opinions of their peers -- just as we have done in all of the other leisure pursuits that we now survey."

Rock and roll was decidedly the most popular genre -- 47% of surveyors said it was their preferred choice, followed by popular vocals (10%) and jazz (7%). It's clear from their savvy, thoughtful comments that surveyors are students of contemporary music journalism -- hip to the subtleties of rock criticism from "textbooks" like Rolling Stone, Spin and Vibe. Other favorites break down evenly across all styles -- classical and singer-songwriters, followed by hip-hop, musicals, electronica, country-western, rhythm & blues, dance, folk, blues and other categories.

In getting to 1,000 top albums, surveyors rated some 2,200 entries and chose their favorite track per album. Using Zagat's signature 30-point scale, participants rated each album on overall quality, songwriting, musicianship and production quality. The Survey also shows an album's release date, an artist's official website, whether the music is available on hard-to-find LPs only, and even if an album took home a Grammy or topped the Billboard charts.

The Music Guide also has some notable omissions. Teen sensations Britney Spears, Avril Lavigne and Mariah Carey were shown no R-E-S-P-E-C-T among Zagat reviewers, despite their record sales. However, surveyors were receptive to a number of new talents, including Coldplay, Norah Jones, The Strokes and The White Stripes, whose discs were all included among the Top Albums of the 2000s.

Given the importance music plays in the American car, Zagat compiled a list of top road albums, with some surprising results. Dr. Dre's The Chronic, "the perfect fusion of life, fantasy and phenomenal beats" ("just don't let your kids listen") is in the driver's seat with Joni Mitchell's "spiritual journey" Hejira riding shotgun. In the back seat rounding out the Top 5 are The Allman Brothers' Eat a Peach, Dwight Yoakam's Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc., and The Eagles' Their Greatest Hits.

Like all Zagat Surveys, the Music Guide offers multiple indexes that make tune selection as easy as flipping through a jukebox. Besides stacking by genre and decade (starting with the 1940s and Before), there are breakdowns by 40 different special features -- Avant-Garde, Chill-Out, Comebacks (Fleetwood Mac, Tina Turner), Fireworks (from Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue to Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys), Grammy Winners, Nature, One-Hit Wonders (Don McLean, Phoebe Snow), Platinum Sellers, Spiritual, Tribute, even Cover Art (try The Rolling Stones' Sticky Fingers).

Holly George-Warren, who has contributed to more than 40 books about contemporary music, including The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, was the Music Editor for the Survey. Pat Blashill, who has written about music for Rolling Stone, coordinated the Survey. Zagat Survey's Betsy Andrews and Randi Gollin were the Guide's overall editors.

Note: The new Zagat Survey Music Guide sells for $14.95 and is available at bookstores, www.zagat.com, and other retail outlets or by calling toll free at 888-371-5440.
About Zagat Survey
Zagat Survey is the world's leading provider of consumer survey-based leisure guides, with over 250,000 surveyors. Covering restaurants, hotels, nightlife, movies, golf, shopping and a range of other entertainment resources. Zagat content is available in books, at www.zagat.com, on the Palm and Pocket PC operating systems, on mobile phones and on TV and radio.
Source: Zagat Survey  Web site: http://www.zagat.com/
Contact: Theresa Mullen of Zagat Survey, +1-212-404-6417, or tmullen@zagat.com,  or  Robin Brassner, +1-212-721-8060, rbrassner@aol.com

CONGRATULATONS JOHN!  Americana Music Awards Winner

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Nov 20, 2003  --  Friday's Americana Music Awards show was the second for the Americana Music Association, a group that promotes more traditional country music than much of the contemporary pop-oriented sounds of Nashville.
  A week after his death Johnny Cash was honored with a song of the year for "Hurt," and album of the Year for "American IV: The Man Comes Around," and as artist of the year for his work on the song and album.
  Other awards include:
 Kris Kristofferson - Spirit of Americana
 Gram Parsons - president's award
 Jerry Douglas -Instrumentalist
 Levon Helm -Lifetime achievement award for performer
 Sam Phillips - Lifetime achievement for executive
 John Prine - Lifetime achievement for songwriter

SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME NOMINEES UNVEILED!

  Nov 2003 - The newest nominees have been announced for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. And a more illustrious covey of tunesmiths you could hardly imagine. There are two categories in this year’s competition: songwriters (duh) and songwriter-artists. Contending in the first division are Jim Anglin; Rodney Crowell; Larry Henley; John Hiatt; Dennis Morgan; Roger Murrah; Paul Overstreet; Mike Reid; Thom Schuyler; and Even Stevens.
  Songwriter/artists in the running are Guy Clark; Freddie Hart; Alabama’s Randy Owen; John Prine; and Jerry Reed.
  Two songwriters will be inducted from the first group and one from the second. In addition, Nashville Songwriters Foundation board members have selected yet another songwriter for induction who’s name is not among those listed here. So that makes a total of four additions to the Hall for 2003. The winners will be revealed Nov. 2 during the annual NSF banquet at Loews Vanderbilt Plaza in Nashville. 

SAM PHILLIPS - The Sun never will set on this music legend

CHANCE MEETING SPARKED LIFE-SAVING FRIENDSHIP 

Date: posted Aug 3 2003
By: Dave Hoekstra - staff reporter
full article: http://www.suntimes.com/output/music/sho-sunday-sam03.html  
  John Prine never knew what a friend he would find in Sam Phillips. 
  The Maywood-born singer-songwriter met the record producer in 1979 when he was making the rockabilly album "Pink Cadillac" at Sam Phillips Studios in Memphis, with his Chicago-based band. Prine recruited Phillips' sons Knox and Jerry as producers.
  "We had been working on the record for a couple of months," Prine said Thursday from Ireland. "From what I understood, Sam was on his way to the bank. He passed by the studio and saw the lights on and was wondering what was going on. 
  "I was out at the moment and they played him something I sang. He thought my voice was so horrible that he would stick around until I showed up so he could fix it," he added, laughing. "I get back to the studio, and here's Sam Phillips sitting in the control room. All the band is there, and they're whispering, 'He's in there! He's in there!'
  "I went in there, and Sam was larger than life." 
  Sam Phillips re-entered Prine's life in late 1997, when Prine was diagnosed with throat cancer. Knox Phillips had been diagnosed with a similar cancer and called Prine. -Now fully recovered, Prine said, "I was in the middle of choosing a doctor. I had gone to five or six doctors, and each one said a different thing. I was very confused about the whole cancer thing, and that's all Knox wanted to talk about. Knox and Sam went all over the world to find the best specialist, and they found him in Houston, Texas. But Knox didn't get through to me. He could tell I was irritated when we got off the phone. 
  "So the next morning I get a call from Sam. I hadn't talked to Sam in about 10 years. Well, Sam talked and talked to me until I said, 'Yes, sir, Mr. Phillips, I will go to Houston, Texas.' In the end, he told me if I didn't go, he was going to come to Nashville, Tenn., and kick my ass every inch of the way to Houston to see these people. Of course, it turned out Sam and Knox couldn't have been more right." 
  In 1999, Sam Phillips saw Prine when his concert tour with Iris DeMent stopped in Memphis. 
  "I thanked Sam," Prine said. "I said, 'You basically saved my life.' I wouldn't listen to anybody else. I was too stubborn. But I wasn't about to not listen to Sam Phillips." 

SHARE - Songs of Hope

  Awareness and Recovery for Everyone is a new country music CD containing a collection of 17 songs about addiction and recovery from addiction. Among the artists represented are George Jones, Travis Tritt, John Prine, Martina McBride, T. Graham Brown, Hal Ketchum, and Kathy Mattea performing some of the
finest country songs of the past 40 years, and one new, not previously released, original song, "When Love Rules the World."
  "Almost every family in America has been touched by addiction in one way or another. This CD is a powerful way to let those stories be heard," said Nick Motu, publisher and vice president of Hazelden Publishing and Educational Services. "Hazelden is proud to be part of this historic music event." What began as a casual, lunchtime conversation between friends about an essay written by William Moyers, the vice president of External Affairs at Hazelden, grew into a collaborative effort of professionals from the addition field and the music industry. Moyers carries the message about addiction and recovery to policy makers and civic groups across the country, acknowledging, "I'm a prime example of a recovering alcoholic who overcame the ravages of this disease."
  "The initial response from the retail community has been good," notes SHARE executive producer, Al McCree, "but the response from the recovery community has been exceptional. The demand that Hazelden has had has been huge."
  The SHARE CD is available for purchase through http://www.hazelden.org . All net proceeds will benefit addiction treatment and recovery programs. SHARE's funding came from Join Together's Demand Treatment! Initiative http://www.jointogether.org supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
  The nonprofit Hazelden Foundation, founded in 1949, pioneered the model of care for alcoholism and drug addiction that is now the most widely used in the world. Today, with more than 50 years of experience and an unparalleled breadth of services, Hazelden is an international provider of treatment, recovery, research and training for individuals, families and communities affected by chemical dependency. Hazelden's Publishing and Educational Services division is the premier publisher of addiction and recovery-related materials.

SOURCE Hazelden Foundation
Web Site: http://www.jointogether.org http://www.hazelden.org

Surprise appearance by Prine at the Artie McGlynn concert in Galway

Date: July 23, 2003
By: KERNAN ANDREWS
Full article at: http://www.galwayadvertiser.ie/dws/story.tpl?inc=2003/07/24/news/35894.html  
  IT SAYS a lot about Arty McGlynn, the renowned Irish guitarist, that so many musicians would travel from all over to play at his recent Galway concert, but not a lot for those in the audience who wouldn't keep quiet for long enough to listen to him. -Put a pint in some people's hands, or tell them it's a traditional music concert, and they suddenly think it's fine to talk while the artist is up on stage. That might have been acceptable in the 1970s, but for a major Galway Arts Festival concert in the Radisson it was inconsiderate.
  While Arty and Co were given three standing ovations (all deserved), many in the crowd couldn’t shut up yapping while the musicians were playing. Several times during each set people had to go “SSSHHH!” in order to hear what the musicians were saying or else to get a bit of quiet for them to sing their song. Some, like Sean Keane tried to make light of it: “Don’t mind me,” he said, “continue talking among yourselves.” Frankie Gavin also dealt with the matter humorously, but was annoyed by the yapping. “Can you hear me?” he asked. “Yes” the audience replied. “I can hear you as well,” he said. 
  It was only a minority of the audience, but it was inconsiderate to those who came to listen and to the musicians themselves, many of whom, like John Prine and Maura O'Connell, had traveled specially to be at the gig. -"We had the bar closed early to keep the noise down, but it is in the nature of some of these events that people talk," said a spokesperson for the arts festival. "Thankfully the quality of the musicians won out on the night and we only had a few complaints about the talking. Most people were saying how much they enjoyed the show."
  And so they should have for there were so many moments of magic on the night; Matt Molloy and McGlynn worked wonders with some lively trad, Sean Keane and Frankie Gavin were in top form, Andy Irvine brought a dose of humour to his performance of 'Martinmas Time', John Prine was a surprise guest (and pity he didn't play longer), Liam O'Flynn and McGlynn together created sheer magic with their majestic, beautiful, music, and Paul Brady's set, including a powerful solo rendition of 'Follow On', was one of the highlights of the night.
  Throughout, Arty preferred to remain in the background as (the always superb) rhythm guitarist. However it was great to see him playing lead guitar on the night, and he took advantage of the opportunity to highlight, but never overdo, his improvisational skills. Despite the yapping it was a great event and where else would you get to see all these legends together on the same night?

Top Singer-Songwriters Perform Music for Peace

Venue: Nashville's Belcourt Theater
Date: Wed Mar 12, 2003
By: Edward Morris
http://www.cmt.com/news/display/1470522.jhtml  

  A lineup that included singer-songwriters John Prine, Darrell Scott, Beth Nielsen Chapman and Tim O'Brien presented a three-hour Music for Peace concert Wednesday (March 12) to a sold-out house at Nashville's Belcourt Theater. Also on the bill were Irish singer Maura O'Connell, Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Alan Rhody and Luke Reynolds of the new group Blue Merle.
    The event, sponsored by the Nashville Peace and Justice Center and organized by O'Brien, drew more than 300 opponents to an American war with Iraq. Despite the nature of the gathering, the evening was long on music and short on speeches.
    The performers could have filled the evening with hits they wrote for others, but they generally stuck to lower-key and less-known fare. Scott did delight the crowd with a slow, bluesy version of "Long Time Gone," one of his contributions to the Dixie Chicks. Rhody, whose hit compositions include "Train Wreck of Emotion" for Lorrie Morgan and "I'll Be True to You" for the Oak Ridge Boys, sang "Rocket Fire," a song he wrote especially for the concert. Chapman, whose credits include "This Kiss" (Faith Hill) and "Strong Enough to Bend" (Tanya Tucker), performed instead her contemplative "Dancer to the Drum." Prine, a last-minute addition to the cast, resurrected his cult favorite from the Vietnam era, "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore."
    O'Connell, who built her 10-song set on songs from other writers, was the hit of the evening, even though all the acts earned encores. "I got my first e-mail today, saying I shouldn't support the Peace and Justice Center," she told the crowd. "And I said, 'Should I be supporting the Bombing and Injustice Center?' That wasn't in the Yellow Pages."
    Fleck and his band did a mostly instrumental jazz program. But it was leavened at one point by bassist Victor Wooten's impassioned rap for social justice. Near the conclusion of its set, the band wove into one of its longer pieces a medley of Beatles melodies and ended with John Lennon's "Imagine" and "Give Peace a Chance," to which the audience sang along. When Prine came back on stage for his encore, O'Connell joined him to sing "Angel From Montgomery."
    Frequent co-writers O'Brien and Scott opened with their spirited "Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burnin'" and then ranged through such folk and gospel numbers as "Farewell Angelina" and "House of Gold" before wrapping up the evening with O'Brien's cross-generational "Another Day to Live and Die."
    O'Brien announced a follow-up peace concert at the Belcourt for April 9 that will feature him and his band, Chapman and Wise Child.

Set List:

Alan Rhody "Rocket Fire" Maura O'Connell "Summer Fly" "I Wonder" "Walls" "Blue Train" "Down by the Salley Gardens" "A Far Cry" "Trouble in the Fields" "A Poor Man's House" "An Irish Blessing" "Crazy Love" Beth Nielsen Chapman "Dancer to the Drum" Bela Fleck & the Flecktones "Spain" "Sex in a Pan" "Turkey in the Straw" "Stomping Grounds" "Imagine" "Give Peace a Chance"

Luke Reynolds "Turn the Page Again" John Prine "Souvenirs" "The Great Compromise" "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore" John Prine and Maura O'Connell "Angel From Montgomery" Tim O'Brien and Darrell Scott "Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burnin'" "Train Man" "Farewell Angelina" "Mick Ryan's Lament" "Walk Beside Me" "Long Time Gone" "House of Gold" "Another Day to Live and Die"

HONORS FOR JOHN PRINE!

BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in London
Monday, Feb 10, 2003

John Prine received the "Lifetime Achievement Award for Contribution to Songwriting" at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in London Feb 10, 2003.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/folk/folk_awards/index2003.shtml

Let's give John a Standing Ovation from our computer chairs,  and to the BBC for their superb taste and intelligence!! (come on get up off your fannies and put those hands together!!)  

HONORS FOR JOHN PRINE 

By: United Press International 
http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20030207-020724-7110r John Prine will receive the "Lifetime Achievement Award for Contribution to Songwriting" at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in London Monday. Prine -- who happens to be president of his own record label, Oh Boy Records -- is expected to be on hand to pick up the award in person. Radio 2 will broadcast the show, and the proceedings will also be available online following the ceremony (bbc.co.uk).

From: Patti Parker
Ok I am bawling my eyes out. The presenter's introduction/tribute to John Prine is so much of how I feel about JP. The power of his music. It's the common thread I have with my brothers, my parents and my children. His songs have touched us in so many ways for 30 years. WHY THE HELL does it take the Brits to recognize his genius? I have never heard such a wonderful tribute to him in the U.S. Seriously, I need to go find another kleenex...I am totally blown away.....isn't it weird that someone a person has never met can be so much a part of your family??????????????????? WOWSERS 

DADDY AND THEM 

video release in the UK ~ Jan 13, 2003
By: Peter Leslie
I am pleased to report that "Daddy and Them" is indeed available for rental through Blockbuster Video in the UK. I managed to get a copy today and have watched it and found it pretty good. John does feature pretty much throughout the movie and does a pretty good job. He does look fantastic for someone who has gone through all the cancer stuff although this is pre hip replacement so he still has the limp. I won't go into plots and stuff as I think it is better to judge for yourself. 

By: Ima Prinefan
I have watched this movie 5 times so far. What an eclectic group of actors! John should be proud. He sure plays his part (was it typecasting?) without giving anything away, It was what you would expect in a Billy Bob Thornton movie - kind of bizarre, but with a lot of hidden meanings. John's tune "In Spite of Ourselves" should have played throughout the whole show - it IS the movie. The hero of the show ties the whole thing up and I rolled over absolutely delighted to the point I had to check the guide for the next airing. John is wonderful in this show - it was worth waiting all these years to see! One more thing... "Alvin, when did you start talkin' so much?" See it, it is a collectable!

By: Spence
I just wanted to say that I saw "Daddy and Them" on Showtime and I thought it was incredible. Not only does John do great, but the script is awesome and the whole cast does an amazing job.

STEVE GOODMAN DVD  

Available at Oh Boy! Records http://www.ohboy.com
- At long last, the Steve Goodman DVD/VHS that you have all been waiting for!!! This brand new release features 20 classic songs taken from multiple Austin City Limits performances as well as rare Steve Goodman interview footage and a mini-documentary featuring John Prine, Kris Kristofferson, and Arlo Guthrie. DETAILS

From: Patti Parker
AWESOME, FREAKIN' AWESOME! I'm going to tell everyone I know to get the Steve Goodman DVD. For many reasons. Prine fans will love it. The documentary is as much about John Prine as Steve Goodman. John talks throughout it, as well as a very articulate Kris Kristofferson and others, including Steve's widow. EVEN IF YOU DON'T KNOW Steve, it is history, it is interesting, and it is done very well. The songs are 20 great ones, and the 19th one, is John in concert, inviting Steve on stage to sing Souvenirs with him. The DVD is worth it just for the documentary, let alone the music! On a personal note, Reeda, I hope you get it so I can hear you say "you are right, Patti, I loved it!" I think that people will understand John Prine much better by listening to what everyone says about him and Steve. It's an "insightful must" for Prine fans. For real, baby, just do it! My dishes are still dirty and the load of laundry never got to the dryer, because I have spent all evening watching this fabulous DVD. love Patti

Venue: Recent Online News Articles about John Prine
Date: Various
MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES

In doing a search this morning I discovered a few current news articles on John: 

From Live Daily "John Prine plots a new string of weekend getaways" - by Rob Evans - liveDaily Editor -
http://www.livedaily.com/news/5097.html  

From the Henderson Gleaner, KY - "John Prine may be planning Evansville concert"
http://www.myinky.com/ecp/gleaner_entertainment/article/0,1626,ECP_4478_2079938,00.html  

From the Limerick Post IE:
 http://www.limerickpost.ie/dailynews.elive?id=4017&category=Daily-Thu 

and another/same from the Limerick Post: "Additional stars confirmed for Coulter's UCH show" -
http://www.limerickpost.ie/dailynews.elive?id=4024&category=Daily-Fri 

This from the Star Tribune 6/20/2003:
  http://www.startribune.com/stories/457/3944097.html  
Iris DeMent injects so much gloom into her country-folk you might think she grew up listening to British mopes like Morrissey. Nope, she was raised on Dylan, Cash, the Carter Family and Joni Mitchell. Although she hasn't released an album of her own since 1996, she's been busy singing on others, including a collaboration with John Prine, the second edition of "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," and tribute albums to Jimmie Rodgers, Tom T. Hall and Greg Brown, whom she recently married. (7:30 p.m. Sat., Guthrie Theater, Vineland Pl. $25. 612-377-2224.) (J.B.)

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