John Prine: Illegal Smile

An American musical treasure, John Prine transformed everyday American life into profound, poetic storytelling through a songwriting style characterized by its warmth, empathy, and surreal humor. Balancing a working-class perspective with an unmatched eye for detail, Prine carved out a permanent place in the Americana and folk landscapes. His ability to capture the quiet joys and hidden heartbreaks of ordinary people earned him a dedicated global following alongside the enduring reverence of legendary peers like Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, and Bonnie Raitt.

John Prine was one of the best of the folk-flavoured singer/songwriters that emerged alongside Neil Young and others in the early Seventies. Prine, who is still active today, is one of the wittiest songwriters of the singer/songwriter clan. When he appeared on the scene in the early Seventies, he was designated by some writers as a “New Dylan,” an up-and-coming singer/songwriter with talent and integrity reminiscent of the young Dylan.

Prine was born in Maywood, Illinois, in 1946, and following a stint in the US Postal Service, became involved in the Chicago folk scene of the late sixties. A chance meeting with pop singer Paul Anka led to a chance to record, and his brilliant debut album, “John Prine,” was released in 1971. Prine’s debut was a superb collection of topical songs that included “Sam Stone,” a tale of a drug-addicted Vietnam veteran; “Hello in There,” a song about the neglect of the elderly; and “Paradise,” a plea for the conservation of nature.

Technical Catalog Spotlight: John Prine (1971)

This masterpiece debut established an impossibly high standard for the 1970s singer-songwriter movement, introducing a fully realized artistic voice capable of shifting from political critique to devastating personal portraiture. The acoustic arrangements highlight Prine's remarkable narrative range and structural maturity.

• Released: October 1971
• Label: Atlantic Records
• Producer: Arif Mardin
• Core Personnel: John Prine (Vocals, Guitar), Reggie Young (Guitar), Leo LeBlanc (Pedal Steel), John Christopher (Guitar)
• Key Tracks: Sam Stone, Hello in There, Paradise

Prine's sophomore effort, "Diamonds in the Rough" (1972), was another fine work with solid songs such as the title track and "They Ought to Name a Drink after You," all delivered with spare accompaniment. "Sweet Revenge," an album that rivals Prine's terrific debut album as his best release, followed in 1973. Sweet Revenge was another superb collection of folk- and country-inflected songs, this time with the support of a larger studio band. Highlights from this one include “Christmas in Prison,” “Please Don’t Bury Me,” “Dear Abby,” and “Mexican Home.”

Technical Catalog Spotlight: Sweet Revenge (1973)

An essential classic that juxtaposes biting, satirical social humor against lush, full-band roots arrangements. The recording captures Prine moving past the acoustic folk mold into a confident, country-rock swagger without losing an ounce of his signature lyrical sharpness.

• Released: October 1973
• Label: Atlantic Records
• Producer: Arif Mardin
• Core Personnel: John Prine (Vocals, Guitar), Steve Goodman (Guitar), Grady Martin (Guitar), David Briggs (Organ)
• Key Tracks: Christmas in Prison, Please Don’t Bury Me, Dear Abby

Prine's next few albums saw him exploring a more rock-oriented sound, fleshed out by a backing band that included electric guitar, bass, and heavy drums. The effect was partially successful on solid releases such as "Common Sense" (1975) and "Pink Cadillac" (1979). “Bruised Orange,” an excellent release from 1978, was a return to his simpler folk sound.

The eighties were a quiet period for Prine from a recording standpoint. He recorded a few studio albums, but nothing of note.

In 1991, however, Prine was back with a vengeance. With the help of fellow musicians and admirers such as Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, and Tom Petty, he recorded another classic, “The Missing Years,” a brilliant folk-rock album brimming with top-notch songs such as “Picture Show,” “Great Rain,” “The Sins of Memphisto,” and the title track.

Technical Catalog Spotlight: The Missing Years (1991)

Serving as a triumphant mid-career comeback, this star-studded effort won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. The production updates Prine's acoustic foundations with an expansive, crisp folk-rock sheen that perfectly frames his gravelly, seasoned vocal performance.

• Released: September 1991
• Label: Oh Boy Records
• Producer: Howie Epstein
• Core Personnel: John Prine (Vocals, Guitar), Albert Lee (Guitar), Benmont Tench (Keyboards), Phil Jones (Drums)
• Key Tracks: Picture Show, Great Rain, All the Best

Despite being recently sidelined with throat cancer, Prine continues to tour and record often brilliant albums. His most recent classics are “In Spite of Ourselves” (1995) and “Fair and Square” (2006).

Prine passed away due to the effects of COVID-19 in 2020.

                                             As a CD and LP affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases

                                            As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

John Prine

Leonard Cohen Biography and Album Guide

A towering figure in contemporary literature and popular music, Leonard Cohen seamlessly blended the roles of poet, novelist, and singer-songwriter into a singular artistic legacy. Recognized globally for his deep baritone voice, impeccable sartorial style, and razor-sharp wit, Cohen spent over half a century exploring the complex intersections of romance, mortality, political isolation, and spiritual devotion. His literary approach to songwriting earned him induction into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, cementing his status as an immortal master of songcraft.

Leonard Cohen, born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1936, is one of the most enduring of the folk music heroes that emerged during the Sixties. As a songwriter, he is only rivalled by Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and a few others in the folk/rock universe. Cohen is noted for his quirky takes on the traditional love song and his use of religious imagery to paint portraits of regret and heartbreak.

Cohen’s debut album was the stark "Songs of Leonard Cohen" (1967), which features his spare guitar playing and solemn, almost spoken vocals. The album contains the superb songs “Suzanne,” “Master Song,” “The Strange Song,” and “So Long, Marianne.” Cohen’s guitar and vocals are tastefully supported by the occasional restrained electric guitar, string, reed, horn, or woodwind.

Technical Catalog Spotlight: Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967)

This stark debut fundamentally redefined the boundaries of 1960s folk, introducing an elite literary perspective directly into popular music. The minimal, haunting production strips away standard commercial polish to highlight Cohen’s intricate fingerpicking and mesmerizing lyrical narratives.

• Released: December 1967
• Label: Columbia Records
• Producer: John Simon
• Core Personnel: Leonard Cohen (Vocals, Acoustic Guitar), Willie Ruff (Bass), Chester Crill (Violin), Chris Darrow (Bass)
• Key Tracks: Suzanne, Master Song, So Long Marianne

Cohen’s debut may well be his masterpiece, but several other contenders were yet to come, including "Songs of Love and Hate" from 1971. This album is sonically quite similar to his debut and contains somewhat less familiar, although just as memorable, songs such as “Avalanche” and “Dress Rehearsal Rag.” In 1974, Cohen recorded the fine album “New Skin for the Old Ceremony,” the first of his albums in several years to rival his earliest work. The music here is somewhat sunnier than that on his earlier classics, with a somewhat countryish flavour.

Technical Catalog Spotlight: Songs of Love and Hate (1971)

A raw, emotionally intense recording that stands as one of the most compelling documents of early 1970s singer-songwriter culture. The arrangements combine sparse, dramatic classical string flourishes with heavy, echoing acoustic arrangements to support Cohen's dark tales of psychological isolation.

• Released: March 1971
• Label: Columbia Records
• Producer: Bob Johnston
• Core Personnel: Leonard Cohen (Vocals, Acoustic Guitar), Charlie Daniels (Bass), Ron Cornelius (Guitar), Bob Johnston (Piano)
• Key Tracks: Avalanche, Dress Rehearsal Rag, Famous Blue Raincoat

Cohen has disappeared from the music scene for long periods during his career to pursue other artistic endeavours, such as writing books or poetry, but he has always managed to return with his faculties intact. After a long hiatus, Cohen returned to music in 1988 and recorded another classic with the synth-pop album "I'm Your Man," featuring the classic songs “First We Take Manhattan” and “Take This Waltz.”

Technical Catalog Spotlight: I'm Your Man (1988)

Representing a brilliant, cynical late-career reinvention, this album famously paired Cohen's deep, gravelly vocal delivery with sleek 1980s electronic synthesizers. The resulting dark, Euro-pop sonic atmosphere provided the perfect sardonic backdrop for his brilliant commentaries on modern decay and romantic obsession.

• Released: February 1988
• Label: Columbia Records
• Producer: Leonard Cohen, Jean-Michel Reusser, Michel Robidoux
• Core Personnel: Leonard Cohen (Vocals, Keyboards), John Bilezikjian (Oud), Roscoe Beck (Bass), Sneaky Pete Kleinow (Pedal Steel)
• Key Tracks: First We Take Manhattan, Take This Waltz, Everybody Knows

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.