POP NOTES We’re clearly in Prine time with live CD, tribute album

— John Prine is the quintessential Americana storyteller - a man who spins musical yarns filled with warmth, humor and grit. Taking cues from Bob Dylan and one-time mentor Kris Kristofferson, he produces timeless, minimalist folk-rock, with a splash of rockabilly and country to pay homage to his Kentucky roots.

Prine began his career as a performer in 1968 in Chicago. The folk scene was rife with talent (including Prine’s friend and collaborator Steve Goodman). But it was Prine who caught the eye and ear of Kristofferson.

Although Prine failed to find commercial success with his early albums, his songs were well-received by other artists. Bette Midler recorded Prine’s “Hello In There” in 1972, and the Everly Brothers cut “Paradise” in 1973. Joan Baez offered up her version of “Hello in There” in 1975 on her popular Diamonds and Rust album. Bonnie Raitt’s visceral version of “Angel From Montgomery” became a signature song for her.

Prine’s latest live collection In Person and On Stage is an intimate, humorous retrospective on his career.The set list features songs ranging from 1968’s “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore,” which he says he was inspired to resurrect because of “our last president,” to 2005’s “Long Monday.”

Drums are noticeably absent from In Person and On Stage. Prine’s band includes only Jason Wilber on guitar and Dave Jacques on bass. But, the spare arrangements still mosey along at a good pace for the most part. Only “The Late John Garfield Blues” finds Prine and duet partner Sara Watkins struggling to keep the song going. Iris Dement, Emmylou Harris and Josh Ritter also make notable guest appearances.Dement and Harris lilt where Prine’s voice turns too craggy, while Ritter turns in a solid duet with Prine on “Mexican Home.”

Dement, Harris and Ritter aren’t the only ones paying tribute to Prine’s songwriting prowess and longevity this summer. Prine’s label, Oh Boy Records, will release the tribute Broken Heartsand Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine Tuesday. The compilation features some fine songs as well as some that seem out of place.

Among the best are Justin Vernon’s harmony-filled “Bruised Orange (Chain of Sorrows),” My Morning Jacket’s tender “All the Best,” the Avett Brothers’ rousing “Spanish Pipedream” and Sara Watkins’ “The Late John Garfield Blues,” which outshines Prine’s version. Justin Townes Earle steals the show with a spare, acoustic version of “Far From Maine” that will break your heart.

Conor Oberst’s “Wedding Day in Funeralville,” the Drive-By Truckers’ “Daddy’s Little Pumpkin” and Those Darlins’ “Let’s Talk Dirty in Hawaiian” seem overproduced and jarring compared to thedreamy, mostly acoustic feel of the rest of the collection - or Prine’s work for that matter.

Listeners looking for a good Prine retrospective might be better served by looking up Souvenirs (Oh Boy), a gem from 2000 in which Prine rerecorded the bulk of his first three records so that he could own the rights to those songs. Souvenirs features many of the songs from Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows in their spare, acoustic glory with only the rough edges of Prine’s voice to guide you. It’s a far more fitting tribute for a man who has influenced generations of songwriters.

Ratings:

In Person and On Stage, B+; Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows, B; Souvenirs, A E-mail:

trogers@arkansasonline.com

Style, Pages 51 on 06/20/2010

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