John Prine: In Spite of Himself (American Music Series)

With a range that spans the lyrical, heartfelt songs "Angel from Montgomery," "Sam Stone," and "Paradise" to the classic country music parody "You Never Even Called Me by My Name," John Prine is a songwriter's songwriter. Across five decades, Prine has created critically acclaimed albums - John Prine (one of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time), Bruised Orange, and The Missing Years - and earned many honors, including two Grammy Awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting from the Americana Music Association, and induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. His songs have been covered by scores of artists, from Johnny Cash and Miranda Lambert to Bette Midler and 10,000 Maniacs, and have influenced everyone from Roger McGuinn to Kacey Musgraves. Hailed in his early years as the "new Dylan," Prine still counts Bob Dylan among his most enthusiastic fans. In John Prine, Eddie Huffman traces the long arc of Prine's musical career, beginning with his early, seemingly effortless successes, which led paradoxically not to stardom but to a rich and varied career writing songs that other people have made famous. He recounts the stories, many of them humorous, behind Prine's best-known songs and discusses all of Prine's albums as he explores the brilliant records and the ill-advised side trips, the underappreciated gems and the hard-earned comebacks that led Prine to found his own successful record label, Oh Boy Records. This thorough, entertaining treatment gives John Prine his due as one of the most influential songwriters of his generation Introduction 10 1. Special Delivery 22 2. Thursday’s Child 28 3. Call of Duty 38 4. Open-Mike Night 48 5. In the King's Footsteps 62 6. Singers and Songwriters 74 Interlude: Talking New Bob Dylan 90 7. Scattered, Smothered, and Covered 94 8. Tangled Up in Blue 102 9. Seeking Asylum 112 10. Oh Boy 130 11. Tunnel of Love 146 12. Into the Great Wide Open 160 13. A Close Shave 174 14. Your Flag Decal Still Won't Get You into Heaven 188 15. Next to the Last True Romantic 198 Acknowledgments 208 Select Discography 212 Select Bibliography 216 Special Delivery -- Thursday's Child -- Call Of Duty -- Open-mike Night -- In The King's Footsteps -- Singers And Songwriters -- Interlude : Talking New Bob Dylan -- Scattered, Smothered, And Covered -- Tangled Up In Blue -- Seeking Asylum -- Oh Boy -- Tunnel Of Love -- Into The Great Wide Open -- A Close Shave -- Your Flag Decal Still Won't Get You Into Heaven -- Next To The Last True Romantic. Eddie Huffman. Includes Bibliographical References And Discography.