The country/folk musician John Prine died Tuesday at Nashville’s Vanderbilt University Medical Center from coronavirus complications, according to his family via a Rolling Stone report. He was 73.
Prine was widely considered to be one of the most influential singer/songwriters in all of roots music—if not American music as a whole. Early last week, his wife Fiona (who had also been ill with coronavirus two weeks earlier) announced in a statement that Prine had been hospitalized with symptoms brought on by coronavirus. A day later she reported that his condition was “stable.” He was in intensive care for almost two weeks.
Prine was a two-time Grammy winner and a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He’s known for his sharp, no-frills folk songs about everyday life, including “Same Stone,” “Hello in There” and “Angel From Montgomery,” which Bonnie Raitt famously recorded. He was also the head of his own label, Oh Boy Records.
Prine was diagnosed with cancer in 1997, but later recovered after doctors removed a tumor from his neck, threatening his singing voice. He of course regained it and went on to make more music before he died.
Artists have already begun sharing their thoughts and memories of the beloved musician on social media, and these will be far from the last:
so very sad. RIP john prine. we will sing your songs forever.
— born ruffians (@BornRuffians) April 8, 2020
We love you John.
— Jason Isbell (@JasonIsbell) April 8, 2020
It hurts so bad to read the news. I am gutted. My hero is gone. My friend is gone. We’ll love you forever John Prine.
— Margo Price (@MissMargoPrice) April 8, 2020
Prine’s most recent album, The Tree of Forgiveness, was released in 2018. Hear him play “Angel From Montgomery” and more in 1973 below via the Paste archives.
