Post Script

POST-SCRIPT TO STRAWBERRY June 5, 1997....

The music's over now.
Campers have returned home.
Lives are back to normal.
John Prine has come and gone again from this mountain park.

While music no longer is heard floating over the hills and trees, a few memories are left, impressed in the minds of those few lucky enough to attend this get-away-from-it-all weekend. The first holiday of the summer of '97 was hopefully a preview of what the summers ofor each of the attendees will be this year.

One little group, united briefly in the late evening of May 24 for the first time, and possibly the only, came together to watch John Prine and listen to his music. They were scattered through the audience and became a unit only as all the rest of the crowd passed through the night into the trees.

What a nice feeling it was to greet perfect strangers as though we had known each other for years. How nice to begin conversations with a person we'd never seen nor met before, with perfect comfort and ease. Sharing the "high" of meeting along with the continuing trance felt from John's music, we were buoyed well past even noticing the chilly night air. We were all in a stupor, all excited, and all quite happy.

How can a stranger , John Prine, bring other strangers together in such a way? It is my guess that not only do we not understand why this can happen, probably even John himself would not have any inkling.

I doubt that he can place our internet group in any pigeonhole except "Strange!" He is unaware, I am sure, that he causes such strong feelings in his listeners. I believe that he exposes his inner thoughts through his songs upon us in an almost tentative manner, and only hopes that we don't complain too loudly.

Does he comprehend why many of us know each line, that we appreciate the folky wisdom, the quirky wit, the deep passion of his love songs? I do not think so. I don't believe he understands his own power in leading similar minds towards seeing the inner recesses and thoughts of his psyche.

We must remember that we are a tiny, tiny representation of Prine followers; most of John's fans are not on the internet, or at least not on our page! But his appeal is obvious both nationally and internationally. John Prine fans are loyal and are not the type to embrace whoever is "hot" at the time.

His concerts demonstrate the "underground" nature of his appeal. How else can you explain hundreds of people singing along with him, in every gig he does? John is a well-kept secret, and it is a strong possibility that his fans are a little bit glad of that. He hasn't become a household word, and as such, each fan has John as their own "little secret."

I think back to Strawberry and the "net nuts"....I think each had seen John before, not once, but several times. Most had met him before, in one way or another. All will meet him again, I am sure. John is like the traveling uncle who makes the family picnic every few years, but who the whole family loves. His fans do not content themselves with attending just one concert....they always know how many other times they have seen him, and where, and often can provide the dates.

It's never a matter of "the last time I saw John," but , "the next time I will see him is....."

Pictures will be taken, his hair will continue to get grayer. John's 1990's era has been one where he has come up with some of the richest music of his career. Writer's block does not seem to be a factor for John. He has changed, yet is the same person deep inside that he was when he first started playing in Chicago.

Will there be a possible repeat next spring at Strawberry? Mungo James Lewis will be able to show John his right shoulder...with the Blue Umbrella tattoo, and now this year's addition. After John signed his shoulder blade, Mark protected it long enough to get back to civilization and had the tattoo artist follow the signature exactly....

This leaves speculation as to what might fit on the other shoulder...."One Red Rose," perhaps?  

copyright - Thoughts from WOG --June 1997