Description
A second installment of John Prine covers includes some of the legendary songwriter’s best-known material, illustrating how his legacy—and the definition of Americana—has shifted since 2010.
Featured artists include: Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Iris DeMent, Sturgill Simpson, Nathaniel Rateliff, Amanda Shires, John Paul White, Brandi Carlile et al.
During the last 10 years of his life, John Prine underwent a profound reappraisal in Nashville. In 2010, when the first installment of Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows was released, he was a niche influence, beloved by many but still considered something of a cult figure. In 2021, however, he was duly regarded as the granddaddy of left-of-center country music: a benevolently eccentric artist who deftly blended pathos and humor, as well as a businessman who founded and steered Oh Boy Records, one of the longest-running artist-owned indie labels in Nashville. He located a different kind of success and then scribbled out a roadmap on an Arnold’s napkin for subsequent artists who’d been edged out of the mainstream. Especially with his swan song, 2018’s The Tree of Forgiveness, Nashville finally hailed his artistry, his business acumen, and his determined longevity. Sadly, another victim of Covid complications, may he rest in peace, and may his wonderful songs continue to be sung.
