COLORADO SYMPHONY

Christopher Dragon, Conductor

A  two-time  Grammy-winner,  John  Prine  is  among  the  English  language’s  premier  phrase-turners.  Almost  50  years  into  a  remarkable  career  that  has  drawn  effusive  praise  from  Bob  Dylan,  Kris  Kristofferson,  Bonnie  Raitt,  Roger  Waters,  Tom  Petty,  Bruce  Springsteen  and  others  who  would  know,  Prine  is  a  smiling,  shuffling  force  for  good.He  is  a  2019  Rock  &  Roll  Hall  of  Fame  &  Songwriter’s  Hall  of  Fame  nominee,  a  Nashville  Songwriters  Hall  of  Fame  member  and  a  PEN  New  England  Lyrics  Award  recipient  whose  classic  debut  album,  simply  titledJohn  Prine,  is  recognized  as  part  of  the  Recording  Academy’s  Grammy  Hall  of  Fame  and  whose  songs  have  been  recorded  by  Johnny  Cash,  Carly  Simon,  Bette  Midler,  Bonnie  Raitt,  Norah  Jones,  George  Strait,  Miranda  Lambert,  Zac  Brown  Band  and  many  others.His  critically  acclaimed  new  album,The  Tree  of  Forgiveness,  was  produced  by  Grammy  Award  winning  produce  Dave  Cobb  and  recently  debuted  at  #5  on  the  Billboard  200—a  career  high  chart  position  and  sales  week  for  the  legendary  singer,  songwriter  and  performer.

Of course, the opposite is true today. Those three songs – as well as “In Spite of Ourselves,” “Lake Marie,” “Fish and Whistle,” and so many others – are Prine signatures. His songs have been recorded by iconic singers like Johnny Cash (“Sam Stone”), Bette Midler (“Hello in There”) and Bonnie Raitt (“Angel from Montgomery”). He’s an uncredited co-writer on the now-classic “You Never Even Call Me by My Name” and his songs have been cut by country stars like Zac Brown Band (“All the Best”), Miranda Lambert (“That’s the Way the World Goes Round”) and George Strait (“I Just Want to Dance with You”). A gem from The Tree of Forgiveness, “Boundless Love” is also ripe for the picking.

Prine won his first Grammy for the 1991 album, The Missing Years, and he joined the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003. The Grammy Hall of Fame inducted his 1971 self-titled debut album in 2014. Two years later he accepted the PEN New England’s Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence Award. At the age of 70, he was named Artist of the Year by the Americana Music Association in 2017. Naturally, The Tree of Forgiveness is rooted in that same observant songwriting that he’s crafted throughout his career.

“I kept saying when I was doing this album, it’s going to be my last one,” Prine admits with a grin. “But if things go really good with it, I can’t see why I wouldn’t do something else.”