I often try to listen to artists before they come to Wolf Trap in order to get a sense of their musical style and what they tend to sing about. But try as I might, John Prine's songs seemed to come out of nowhere. I wasn't sure what to think of his music so decided to wait till the concert to make my final judgement. Thank god I did. John Prine began is career playing clubs in Chicago and released his first album in 1971. He soon became known for his poignant and often humorous lyrics. While his music leans more towards the country-folk genre, his songs span a wide variety of subjects and styles. Joining in the singer-songwriter movement of the 1970's, Prine released a number of critically acclaimed albums including Sweet Revenge and Bruised Orange. Fellow songwriters Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan espoused his lyrical prowess and although Prine never experienced the chart success of other acoustic acts, his music endured as he became a fixture on the concert scene for over 45 years. He has won three Grammys during his career and even made a remarkable recovery from cancer in the 2000's. On a more local level, he has performed at Wolf Trap 18 times although this was my first time seeing him.
Having not really known Prine beyond simple name recognition, I wasn't sure what to expect honestly. His opener was Margo Price, a country singer-songwriter whose songs were more upbeat than Prine's and later came out to do a couple duets with him. Quite early in the show I began to marvel at his ability to take simple stories and expand them into heartfelt songs. Backed by a three piece band and later by just his own guitar, he ran through over 15 songs and a wide range of topics. While one could say his lyrics aren't as monumental as Dylan or Springsteen, that was never his intention. His songs, were often melancholy on the surface and depicted the harsh realities of life. But his characters always seem to get past it with a laugh and a kick in the butt and Prine has a flair for injecting his songs with just enough optimism to forget about past unhappiness. John Prine never wrote a song like "Like a Rolling Stone" or "Fire and Rain", but his artistry has been just as compelling through his simplicity, thoughtfulness, and unabashed honesty . For many people, that's all you really need.
My favorite part of the show was when he performed a newer song of his called "Crazy Bones". Prine, now 71, took on aging with a comical tone that admittingly spoke to much of the crowd. He was happy to oblige.
Looking forward to more shows in the future!
DC
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| John Prine |
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| Margot Price |
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