April 29, 2006 -Merle Watson Festival, Wilkesboro VA - John Prine, Dave Jacques, Jason Wilber and Pat McLaughlin 

Prine’s performance a stout kickoff to MerleFest 2006

By TIM PRESTON

Record Correspondent - read the full review here

  Fans of singer/songwriter John Prine closed their eyes and sang along with every word as he guided the opening night crowd of Merlefest 2006 back to Muhlenburg County and along the Green River, opening his set on the Watson Stage with the song “Paradise” Thursday evening.

  “He actually believes in what he sings about,” said Courtlyn Reeves, a Prine enthusiast who came from Ashe County with friend John Parsons just to see him perform one more time. Reeves said he’s seen the man play live “at least five or six times,” with plans to catch as many more of his concerts as possible.

  “He’s just a brilliant writer,” Parsons added as they watched Prine arrive backstage. One of Prine’s many younger fans, Parsons said he especially appreciates his latest songs, as well as the acoustic instruments his band has employed to make the music magical.

  Paul Trimbur of Champion, Penn., held two of Prine’s records under his arm, hoping to have the covers autographed before the evening was done. The beauty of Prine’s music, he said, comes from the lyrics and his delivery. A guitarist himself, he said Prine may have been his greatest influence when he was first learning to play, noting “Paradise” was among the first songs he learned to play and sing.

  “It’s just honest – it’s not contrived,” Trimbur said. “His songs have meaning. They aren’t dittys.”

Prine himself spoke softly to a handful of fans backstage as he hurried to entertain the crowd at the Watson Stage. Nearly a decade has passed since he last played the festival, he said.

  “It’s been a long time. I played here in ’96 or ’97 – I can’t exactly remember,” he said with a big grin, promising to provide, “some new and some old,” for the 2006 event.

  Bassist Dave Jacques, who has provided the low notes for Prine’s music for nearly a dozen years, said he never grows tired of his job.

  “I’ll never get sick of playing the songs,” he said, pausing to find the right words for the sincerity he’s seen Prine bring to every stage they’ve shared. “I’ve never heard him just blow through the songs. Even when he does a solo set I still love to watch him play.”

  Prine kept the chilly crowd fired up with his second song, “Angel From Montgomery,” earning extra sing-along and applause with a line about flies buzzing in the kitchen. Several people in the audience admitted they first heard that particular song as a duet recorded with Bonnie Raitt.

  Throughout the rest of his set, fans keyed in on specific phrases whose meaning was obviously deeply personal.

Becky Johnson, working as a staff photographer for Merlefest, was practically walking on air after a brief conversation with Prine just before he took the stage. She said his appearance at this year’s event generated a tremendous amount of interest.

  “Oh, he’s extremely popular here at Merlefest,” she said. “This crowd really enjoys singer/songwriters who are sort of below the radar. He’s sort of like that.”

Johnson’s “below the radar” classification didn’t seem to apply anywhere Prine went before or after the show as people did their best to get an autograph, or simply say “hello” to the man whose music they consider an important part of their lives

By: FestivalPreview
Blogging from Merlefest will be limited ...The other Thursday night highlight was John Prine, who said he "started backwards," delighting the audience by opening the set with "Paradise," "Angel From Montgomery," and "Sam Stone," all from his first record from 1972. --> http://festivalpreviewblog.blogspot.com/2006/04/blogging-from-merlefest-will-be.html

By: beadifulbabe
Merlefest is a local 4 day music festival in Wilkesboro. In honor of Doc Watson's late son Merle. John Prine was Thursday's headliner. His musical set was magical. 12,000 people & you could have heard a pin drop during his ballad. . . read the journal entry here --> http://journals.aol.com/beadifulbabe/HowtoKeepAmericaBeaDiful/entries/1363

April 29, 2006 - Chrysler Hall, Norfolk VA - John Prine, Dave Jacques, Jason Wilber and Pat McLaughlin with support: Maura O'Connell

Preview By: Leona Baker
I hate the Grammies. Milli Vanilli won one. Need I say more? Nevertheless I was thrilled for one of my heroes, legendary singer/songwriter John Prine when he recently took home honors for "Best Contemporary Folk Album" for 2005’s Fair & Square. I’ve always felt that Prine was criminally underappreciated, forced to play second guitar to the Dylans of the world. I have a theory that’s in part because Prine has always been willing to find humor in his subject matter —even when…maybe especially when…the subject matter was himself. His lyrics have ranged from the down-right corny and clichéd to the darkly poetic: "There’s a hole in Daddy’s arm where all the money goes/ Jesus Christ died for nothin’, I suppose." But his literate, good-ol’-boy mystique has cultivated a legion of loyal fans. Prine has suffered numerous health problems in recent years — including a bout with cancer. See him while you can; you won’t regret it.

By: Zelda
The old poet laureate of the cool, laid-back world of mirth is still Prime Prine. With a voice as smooth as stretch of dusty, washboard road somewhere up in the Shenandoah's, Prine could hypnotize a gecko with Attention Deficit Disorder. He's not lost a bit of his step in lo these many years since he first emerged. And, as in the way of really great writing, his old songs still speak the truth. His stage presence is joyful and he is simply the best. Still.

By: Brian Wilson
I bought presale tickets 2-3 months ago and the opening act wasn't named until a week or so before the show. I was a bit disappointed to find out it was Jason Wilber, John's lead guitarist. We've already seen him play and were hoping for an artist we have not yet seen live. My disappointment was ill founded - That young man can sing as well as play! It was truly a pleasure to hear him do his own songs, buy a CD, and get to meet him in the lobby during intermission. As always, John's show was fantastic. His voice was not 100 percent, but his enthusiasm and showmanship carried the show. Congratulations on the Grmmy, looking forward to seeing another show next year. God Bless!

By: Kate Tippett-Bowles
My husband and I have been enjoying John Prine for many year and have fortunate enough to see him several times. I have to say thought that the concert in Norfolk was by far his best. In fact, I would say our favorite concert ever and that includes Dylan, Pearl Jam and Dave Matthews among others. No one but John Prine can come up with such emotionally charged lyrics..."A bowl of oatmeal tried to stare me down and won"...or such heart stoppingly poignant ones such as one, "Hello in There" that a listener goes from laughter to tears in minutes. I feel I know Mr. Prine as do apparently most of his audience. Judging by the reviews on this site, everyone seems to have had a terrific time at "their" concert. You guys might have enjoyed one heck of a concert but it simply couldn't have been as good as the one he put on here in Norfolk. Heck, he played over two and half hours. The crowd went nuts when after about an hour he removed his jacket as if to say, "Now, let's get started". We sang along with "Illegal Smile" and watched as he pounded his left leg on the floor and broke two guitar strings trying to get as much sound as possible from his guitar on "Lake Marie" which he seemed to thorougly enjoy playing. If I were given one wish today (okay, I need two because one would be for world peace) I would ask that John come over for his favorite home-cooked meal of meatloaf (yes, his wife Fiona and my husband John are invited) and we could sit back in comfy rocking chairs and leisurely rap about the joyfulness and absurdity of life. I love John Prine and thank him for helping me chuckle at life.

By: Pete Dybdahl
A night of John Prine, in five vignettes 
full article is here
I. Here is John Prine on Saturday night: dressed in black, with poofy hair, prominent teeth. The effect, when he is on stage, is that of a wise and scratchy-voiced grandfather. And he was just great. 
II. In Row G of the Roanoke Performing Arts Theatre, one man made a preshow declaration: He was not a musician, he was a “listener.” 
    But once Prine was singing, it quickly became clear to rows F, G and H that this fan was not really a “listener” but a “sing-alonger.” He joined in on the choruses and sometimes added his own (atonal) harmonies. 
    Prine has written a lot of memorable country-folk songs whose words are clearly embedded in his fans. 
III. The set opened with a sweep of John Prine perennials: “Spanish Pipedream,” “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore” and “Souvenirs.” He went on to hit about half the playlist of his recent, Grammy-winning album “Fair & Square.” The power pipes of opener Maura O’Connell joined him for “Angel from Montgomery.” He did “Sam Stone” after at least two dozen requests for it. And he did “Let’s Talk Dirty in Hawaiian,” a song that has a dozen punchlines for the same joke. 
IV. Halfway through the night, Prine shed his jacket and his backing band, and the audience received a distilled Prine-ing. It is unlikely that he has played many open-mike nights in recent decades, but this was what one must be like. 
    With just his voice and an acoustic guitar, he offered some of his sweetest, most compassionate songs, telling us three different ways that we’re all right. For anyone not convinced of his profound goodness, he sang “Clay Pigeons” just because a little girl requested it. 
    Then the band came back out one by one and they all worked up to a powerhouse “Lake Marie.” It was hard not to join Prine, or the fellow in row G, for the “standing by peaceful waters” part. 
V. Though it seems unlikely that Prine could win a karaoke contest, Maura O’Connell surely would. 
    In the opening spot, O’Connell hit the staples of the folk repertoire as she described them: the murder ballad and the train song. She had a full and unflagging voice, with an Irish lilt at the edges, and hers was a dramatic stage presence. 
    At one point, she cautioned the audience against too much applause for fear that she’d become a “folk diva.” But when she came out for an encore (the first opening act I have ever seen take one) it seemed like she was already there

April 22, 2006 - Roanoke Civic Center, Roanoke, VA - John Prine, Dave Jacques, Jason Wilber and Pat McLaughlin with support: Maura O'Connell

By: Kathy Murray
Great songs great city great weekend! I loved In Spite of Ourselves with Maura she is awesome too! Also the Hawaiian Love Song?? what album is that from LOVED IT-- Wish you would play a little closer to NY!!

April 21, 2006 - Landmark Theatre, Richmond, VA - John Prine, Dave Jacques, Jason Wilber and Pat McLaughlin with support: Maura O'Connell

By: BILL CRAIG
Read the entire article here --- 
MUSIC REVIEW: John Prine 
  Country/folk legend's singing, songwriting remain top notch 
  Back in his formative years, John Prine was, by today's standards, a record-producing machine. He introduced himself to the folk/alternative country listening public with five high quality albums between 1971 and 1975. 
  The 60-year old Prine has backed off from that pace considerably. His 2005 release, "Fair and Square," recorded on his own Oh Boy label was his first since 1995. But if the Grammy Award that "Fair and Square" won in February is a fair measure, those 10 years of inactivity didn't exactly dull Prine's songwriting pen. 
  And judging by the response of last night's audience for Prine's Landmark Theater show, a lack of annual new product hasn't dampened the disciplelike enthusiasm of his intensely loyal following. 
  Sporting the man-in-black look and backed by a crack three-man band, Prine opened the evening with the familiar "blow up your TV" refrain of "Spanish Pipedream." He followed that favorite with a handful of new tunes as well as plenty of ragged-edged political, personal and satirical gems from his three-decade-and-counting career.
  Prine called on opening act Maura O'Connell for some vocal assistance on a pair of newer songs, the beautiful melancholy of "Long Monday" and the mellow and melodic "Taking a Walk." And she hung around long enough to help deliver what was arguably the evening's highlight, a stunning duet on the classic "Angel from Montgomery." 
  Perhaps the greatest indicator of Prine's mastery of the three-minute country/folk song is the fact that last night's audience could sing along with most every quirky lyric of tunes such as "Dear Abby", "Grandpa was a Carpenter" and "Fish and Whistle" and then be absolutely silenced by the simple word drama of "Six O'Clock News" and "Souvenirs". 
  For anyone whose last name is not Springsteen, touring with John Prine is probably a pretty good gig. But O'Connell, the Irish-born veteran of the American contemporary folk scene, is way too talented for the opening act slot she had on last night's bill. 
  O'Connell's a singer not a songwriter but when her knack for always finding the right tune is combined with her flawless delivery, it really doesn't matter who did the songwriting. Last night's sweet but way too short 30-minute set featured the work of large talent if not large profile writers such as Cheryl Wheeler, Tom Kimmel and Jonnell Mosser. 

By: Donna
I have been to many concerts over the years, but John Prine is my favorite by far. I have been to five of his concerts, and this one moved me to tears. "Taking a Walk" and the song about a trip on a Greyhound bus were a couple of my favorites. I can't say enough about his talent, warm heart, humor, ....I could go on and on! No wonder his fans are so loyal.

By: Happy Enchilada
This was the 9th time I've seen John in the past 5 years. His concerts are always good, some better than others. Richmond happened to be one of those real good nights. His voice was on, the songlist was great and the band was dead on. It's so much much fun hearing these songs grow through time. A few notes: -No enchilada story during World Goes Round -Asshole/Cowboy from TX was referred to as "Beedie Eyed...from TX" -Jason sang a verse of Paradise...that kid has talent beyond the guitar -Is there anything more annoying than a kid who can't handle their booze. Had the pleasure of having one next to me...they don't know their elbows from their own behind -Maura O'Connal has a great voice, but anyone besides Bonnie Raitt joining John for AFM is just ok -Personally, I like the dynamic of the band when it was just John, Jason and Dave. -The songs from F&S are just outstanding live

By: Sheri
How incredible to see (and get to meet) the legendary John Prine - heard all the old favorites and the new favorites too! Fantastic show! Be sure to pick up a flyswatter - after all, there's flies in the kitchen...I can hear 'em there buzzin'... Great show & an absolute honor to meet him too!

By: Dawn
No matter if John's music is making me laugh or cry, it always soothes my soul! Thank you John for a great concert (as always!) it is such a joy to see that your music brings so many people pleasure as it obviously does you too! There were many college students at this concert and it was great to watch how much they enjoyed the performance and fun to watch their reactions to some of your lyrics they had obviously not heard (but no doubt they will hear them again!). You are the best!

By: Bill Craig
read the full article here 
  Not one of the tunes in John Prine's voluminous catalog of originals has cracked Kasey Kasem's Top 10 List. With a vocal quality that would charitably be described as gravely, it's also highly unlikely that Prine is on the long list of pop artists being considered for a guest spot on "American Idol." 
  But whether it's his wickedly humorous satire or his starkly dramatic ballads, Prine can do things with three minutes worth of lyrics that others can only dream about. So ask the current crop of American folk, country, and alt.country singers and songwriters to identify their influences and Prine's name will almost certainly show up on a whole bunch of short lists. 
  In honor of and in preparation for the Grammy Award winner's Friday night show at the Landmark Theater, here's a list of fun facts to know and tell 
  Born: Oct. 10, 1946, in Maywood, Ill., a suburb of Chicago 
  Resides: Nashville since 1980 
  Family: Wife Fiona and two sons, born 10 months apart in 1995. 
  Favorite food: meat loaf 
  Pre-music jobs: mail carrier, soldier in the U.S. Army 
  Current record label: Nashville-based and Prine-owned Oh Boy Records. The label's name comes from a Buddy Holly lyric. 
  Debut release: "John Prine" (1971) 
  Latest release: "Fair and Square" (2005), winner of the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album 
  In between: 17 albums, including "A John Prine Christmas" 
  Coolest song titles: "Illegal Smile," "Yes I Guess They Oughta Name a Drink After You," "The Oldest Baby in the World," "Come Back to Us Barbara Lewis Hare Krishna Beauregard," "Jesus the Missing Years," "Sabu Visits the Twin Cities Alone," "Some Humans Ain't Human" 
  Coolest gig: shared Library of Congress stage with Ted Kooser, United States Poet Laureate 
  Songs covered by (among others): Bonnie Raitt, Bette Midler, Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, Nanci Griffith, the Everly Brothers and Norah Jones 
  Film credits: Played Mitch Cutler in John Mellencamp-directed "Falling From Grace" and Alvin in Billy Bob Thornton's "Daddy and Them" 
  Number of singles available on iTunes: 139 
  Number of Google search results: approximately 2.7 million 
  Other notable: Continued touring and recording following 1999 surgery and treatment for neck cancer. 
  Sources: www.johnprine.net; www.netflix.com; "All Music Guide: The Expert's Guide to the Best CD's, Albums & Tapes," and Lloyd Sachs' "To Believe in This Living" in No Depression #57, May/June 2006

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