John Prine died yesterday of complications from COVID-19. I was introduced to his music either late in high school or my freshman year in college by either Rob Gorley or the late, great Mark Evans. We knew every song on his 1976 compilation album, Prime Prine, by heart. I have fond memories of those songs, especially “Grandpa Was a Carpenter,” because it reminded me so much of my family. My maternal grandfather was a carpenter and took me to church on Sundays where there was stained glass in every window and hearing aids in every pew. My paternal grandmother smoked Camel cigarettes. A maternal great aunt who was a third grandmother was a teacher, although she went to school in Richmond, not Bowling Green. She bought me comic books.
Mark had an affinity for “Come Back to Us Barbara Lewis Hare Krishna Beauregard” especially the lyric “God save her please, she’s nailed her knees to some drugstore parking lot.”
And of course there’s this.
And while this song isn’t on Prime Prine, it’s a classic. I hold back tears whenever I hear it.
Other artists loved him, including Bill Murray and Hunter S. Thompson. What better endorsements can you get?
Rest in peace, John, and thank you.