John Prine "In Spite of Ourselves"

[electra225]

I have a friend named Eddie who is expert at finding what I consider "fringe" artists. Not really a singer, a part yeller, part narrator. Really gravelly, hoarse voice, not someone I would go out of my way to buy their music. His main claim to fame as far as I knew was that, when I was going thru cancer treatment, John Prine and George Carl, the coach of the Denver Nuggets at the time, both had the same cancer I did. Eddie had this album, played it while he was working on power accessories in a Buick in my shop. I was and am still impressed. My copy is a copy of Eddie's CD, so I don't know who the studio artists are, but they are top notch. This is a country album. Duets with female artists. Iris DeMint, Connie Smith, Melba Montgomery, Emmy Lou Harris, and one lady whose voice I recognize, but can't put a name to it. The title song, a duet with Iris DeMint has lyrics probably not appropriate for a family forum, but it's a fun and thoroughly enjoyable little ditty. The song I am going to link is the last song on the album, the only one that isn't a duet. Eddie also introduced me to Elini Mandell, Van Morrison and The Texas Tornadoes. Eddie worked for me when I needed power accessories installed and sorted. The best I ever saw at that job.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dUCERB ... rt_radio=1

[TC Chris]

John Prine could sing the phone book and I'd listen. As a songwriter, his prowess was hard to match. He was humane. Without that quality, you can be famous, you can be powerful, but you're still unimportant.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

When Eddie introduced me to this album, I had never heard of John Prine. I don't have, nor am I familiar with, any of his other work. I sure do enjoy this album.

[danrclem]

Almost as soon as I started listening to that song, I was thinking Hank Williams and Ernest Tubb. I knew it wasn't either one of them, but it sounded like something they would have recorded. Sure, enough Hank Williams did record it, but I don't know about Ernest Tubb. I think John captured the sound of about 50 years before he recorded it.

When I think of John Prine I instantly think of Paradise. I went dirt bike riding at one of the strip mines close to Central City which is close to Paradise many, many years ago with two friends. I saw a huge coal shovel down there that looked like it was abandoned but I don't know if it was the one that John mentioned in his song.

https://youtu.be/DEy6EuZp9IY?si=1pSduHs2OavNhB-E

[TC Chris]

When Eddie introduced me to this album, I had never heard of John Prine. I don't have, nor am I familiar with, any of his other work. I sure do enjoy this album.

You need to find his first album.It's a stunner. I've got a cassette copy that lives out in the shop. If he had done nothing in life except write "Hello In There," "Paradise," "Angel From Montgomery," and "Sam Stone," he would have accomplished more than ten ordinary mortals. It's extraordinary music, written by a folk philosopher.

"Oh daddy, won't you take me to Muhlenberg County, down by the Green River where Paradise lays.... I'm sorry, my son, you're too late in askin'...Mr Peabody's coal train has hauled it away."

Just found a link--the whole album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lHkugF0nyI

Chris Campbell

[Conelrad]

Marsha & I have every CD recorded by Iris, even a bootleg captured at a concert.

She played at the MIM a couple years ago, and we got to spend private time with her after the show.

Her voice is truly mesmerizing.

The only thing holding her back from big fame is her reticence off-stage.

DG

[Conelrad]

If you don't have at least one tear...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LebgfeGeOU

DG