John Prine

October 10, 1946 – April 7, 2020

Bruce Springsteen has led the tributes to Grammy-winning countryfolk singer Prine, describing him as “a songwriter for the ages”. The 73-year-old passed away in Nashville from complications related to Covid-19. Prine spent his final 13 days in intensive care, having tested positive after returning from a European tour.

He was remembered by his friend and former collaborator Springsteen as the “loveliest guy in the world” and “a true national treasure”. The Boss reminisced that he and Prine had both been hailed as “the New Dylan” during the early 70s.

A mailman before turning professional as a musician, Illinois-raised Prine released his self-titled debut album in 1971. He went on to have an extraordinary late-career bloom in 2018 when The Tree Of Forgiveness, his first album of original material in 13 years, reached No.5 on the Billboard chart. Bob Dylan and Kris Kristofferson were both fans of his perceptive style of composition that documented the lives of everyday people. His songs were covered by Johnny Cash, Bonnie Raitt, Carly Simon, Bette Midler, the Everly Brothers, Joan Baez and more.