Artist: John Prine
Album: Prime Prine

When I moved from Michigan to California in 1988 to ultimately marry my husband, Jim was a huge John Prine fan.  An American country folk singer-songwriter, John’s 1976 compilation album, Prime Prine, was the first I heard of this masterful lyricist.  I was introduced to his unique voice and sometimes-funny, sometimes-sad, but always-memorable lyrics by listening to his music on cassette tape as we drove through the Bay Area backroads.

Many of Val’s customers know about John’s local roots growing up in Maywood, and his long music career, which began at the Fifth Peg, a Chicago club where he first performed his original material during open-mic night.  Chicago Sun-Times movie critic Roger Ebert heard John by chance at the Fifth Peg, and wrote the first review of his music, changing the course of John’s life with words such as:  “He appears on stage with such modesty he almost seems to be backing into the spotlight. He sings rather quietly, and his guitar work is good, but he doesn’t show off. He starts slow. But after a song or two, even the drunks in the room begin to listen to his lyrics. And then he has you.”

One of the first times I came into Val’s I saw a picture of John on the wall by the Elvis bathroom.  There he was standing next to Shayne and his mother, right there inside the record store.  When I commented on it, Shayne told me that John knew Val quite well and would often come into the store to visit her when he was in town.  In fact, John was in Val’s shortly before his death in April 2020. I wish I had been there on his last visit and been able to tell him how much his music has meant to me.

John earned four Grammy awards for his music and one for Lifetime Achievement.  There is no denying the impact he has had on other songwriters and millions of fans.  As testament to his impact on the music industry, husband Jim wanted me to add the names of some musicians who have sung John Prine’s original music:  Bonnie Raitt, Johnny Cash, John Denver, Tanya Tucker, Bette Midler, Kris Kristofferson, Cher, Joan Baez, 10,000 Maniacs, George Strait, as well as many other artists whose names you probably know if you have a broader base of musical knowledge than I have.

John Prine first had me with the song, Sam Stone, which tells the sad story of a Vietnam vet returning home with a drug addiction. The first line of the chorus gives you insight into the song’s strong message: “There’s a hole in Daddy’s arm where all the money goes.” It’s the first track on the Prime Prine album, which I highly recommend.

Check out the track Sam Stone.