Bio : John Prine

“The Mark Twain of American Songwriting.”
— Rolling Stone Magazine

Singer. Songwriter. Poet. American Icon. John Prine was all of these things, but the people who knew him best would add something else: he was a generous soul who built community wherever he went. Throughout a career that spanned five decades, John gave freely of his time, his wisdom, his humor, his advice, and his kindness. He mentored emerging songwriters, championed fellow artists, and cultivated one of the most devoted and loving fan communities in American music. His admirers and collaborators crossed every boundary of genre and generation: Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Tom Petty, Brandi Carlile, George Strait, Miranda Lambert, Emmylou Harris, Justin Vernon, Jason Isbell, Jeff Tweedy, Kacey Musgraves, Margo Price, Phoebe Bridgers, Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, Waxahatchee, Seth Meyers, Stephen Colbert, Bill Murray, Howard Stern, and many more.

Though he was born in Maywood, Illinois, in 1946, John declared himself “pure Kentuckian” throughout his life. His parents, William and Verna, were natives of Paradise, Kentucky. The family spent summers in Muhlenberg County, where John listened to bluegrass music and studied the guitar styles of country music heroes Merle Travis and Doc Watson alongside his brothers, Dave, Doug, and Billy. Summers in Kentucky rooted John in a deep respect for the dignity of ordinary people and the communities they build together.

Back in Maywood, John worked as a mail carrier before being drafted into the Army in 1966. It was on those postal routes that he began writing the songs that would connect with so many. He composed lyrics in his head during mail deliveries, giving voice to the people he walked among every day, including working-class families, veterans returning from war, the elderly, and those living in the quiet margins of everyday life. He found profound truth in the seemingly mundane, crafting lyrics that were funny and compassionate, with a rare ability to make listeners laugh and cry in the same verse. 

Chicago nurtured John’s artistry through its vibrant folk music community. He performed in the coffeehouses and folk clubs of Chicago’s Old Town district, and attended classes at the Old Town School of Folk Music. They shaped John as an artist and reflected the values his music would always carry: authenticity, warmth, and the belief that every life is worth singing about. His reputation grew through word of mouth and the recognition of fellow musicians who understood they were witnessing something extraordinary.

A favorable review from film critic Roger Ebert brought him wider attention. When Kris Kristofferson heard John perform at the Earl of Old Town, at the insistence of Steve Goodman, he invited John to open for him at The Bitter End in New York City. In the audience was Jerry Wexler, President of Atlantic Records, who signed Prine to a recording contract the next day. His self-titled debut album was released in 1971 and featured songs now regarded as American classics, including “Paradise,” “Angel from Montgomery,” “Illegal Smile,” “Hello in There,” and “Sam Stone.” Prine received the first of his 14 Grammy nominations in 1972 for Best New Artist.

John’s commitment to community building extended to the business of making music. In 1981, he co-founded Oh Boy Records, one of the first artist-owned independent labels in the United States. Oh Boy was more than a label. It was a statement of principle: that singers and songwriters deserved voice and respect on their own terms. For over four decades, Oh Boy has championed artists who might otherwise have gone unheard, and it continues to support the next generation of songwriters today.

John’s relationship with his fans was something rare and deeply personal. He remembered names. He lingered after shows. He showed up with the same warmth and humor offstage that made his songs so beloved. His fans returned that love with a fierce, joyful loyalty, building a community around his music that felt more like a family than a following. 

Over five decades, John released 18 studio albums and a body of live and collaborative work that touched nearly every facet of the human experience. He won four Grammy Awards and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2020). He was the first singer-songwriter invited to read and perform at the Library of Congress. He was a three-time recipient of the Artist of the Year Award at the Americana Music Honors & Awards, which also honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting. He won the PEN/New England Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence Award (2016), was enshrined in the Songwriters Hall of Fame (2019), and was named Honorary Poet Laureate of Illinois (2020). Rolling Stone named him one of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time. In 2014, his landmark 1971 self-titled debut album was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame.

John Prine passed away on April 7, 2020, due to complications from Covid-19. The outpouring of love from his fan community was staggering: over 500,000 viewers participated in an online memorial tribute that raised more than $400,000 for community causes. That response was a mirror of the generosity John had modeled his entire life.

In 2021, the Prine family created the Hello in There Foundation to carry forward John’s deeply held commitment to showing up for people with kindness, thoughtfulness, and an open hand. Since its founding, the Foundation has provided nearly $1.4 million in grants to over 100 community organizations. Fiona Prine and her sons continue to operate Oh Boy Records alongside the Foundation, helping to steward the legacy of an artist who understood that music, at its best, is an act of community.