ALBEMARLE, N.C. — When John Prine had the heart-to-heart talk with his oncologist about throat cancer about a decade ago, the doctor was worried about the proposed treatment’s impact on his singing voice.

After all, Prine had made a career as a singer.

“Ever hear me sing?” was the singer’s response.

That’s the kind of guy John Prine is.

Yep, he’s blessed with a gravelly voice, something that captures your emotions without setting the world on fire like Mariah Carey.

Prine, now nearing 60, will bring his act to Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte next Friday night.

He’s been nominated over and over again for Grammys, winning one with his “Missing Years” release in 1991. In fact, the night before he plays Charlotte, he’ll find out if he wins yet another Grammy for his stellar “Fair & Square.”

Win, lose or draw, Prine will show the same grace and humility he always does on or off the stage.

Prine’s story is the stuff of Nashville legend. He was cool country before country was cool. Despite his distinctive twang, Prine actually hails from the Chicago suburb of Maywood, Ill. His family, however, had roots in the South, specifically Paradise, Ky., from which Prine draws on in his songwriting.

His songs have been covered by Johnny Cash, Tammy Wynette, and other country legends. Not to be labeled, though, his works have also been recorded by diverse acts such as Bonnie Ratt (“Angel from Montgomery”) and Bette Midler (“Hello In There”).

In 1999, he recorded and released “In Spite Of Ourselves,” an album devoted to lovin’, leavin’, and cheating songs, of which only the title cut is a Prine original. It features duets with Lucinda Williams, Trisha Yearwood, Melba Montgomery, Emmylou Harris, Dolores Keane, Patty Loveless, Connie Smith and Fiona Prine.

Described as a non-judgmental social commentator and a champion of the common man, Prine has written some classic songs, although superstardom has escaped him.

When he went on the road to promote “Fair & Square” last spring, shows in Asheville and North Charleston, S.C., didn’t sell out. Shows in Boston and New York sold out in minutes.

When Prine sings of the day-to-day concerns of the average Joe, it’s because he’s one. After a stint in the U.S. Army in the 1960s, he landed a job at the U.S. Postal Service. After sitting through open mic nights at a local bar, he decided he could do better. He'd learned to play the guitar and had flirted with songwriting, but had never had the desire to share them.

“There were all these amateurs that were getting up,” Prine recalled, “and they were terrible. So I started making some comments about it and the next thing I knew somebody said, ‘well, if you think you can do it better …’ I said ‘I could’ and got up on the stage and played ‘Sam Stone’, ‘Hello In There’ and ‘Paradise’ and people seemed to like it.”

In fact, those three classics were the first songs he ever penned.

The bar owner offered Prine a steady gig. Before long, legendary musician Steve Goodman met Prine and brought Kris Kristofferson to The Earl Of Old Town to see Prine perform. The move resulted in Prine being signed to a national label.

Almost overnight, Prine went from being a local singer/songwriter to the critics’ darling. At one point he was hailed as the next Bob Dylan. In eight albums with two companies, he attracted fans who identified with his words and music.

“It’s a great feeling when you put something in a song and other people say that’s exactly how they feel. That’s the most gratifying thing about songwriting for me: it’s always been a real outlet for me - being able to put those feeling down.”

Among his fan favorites are “Please Don’t Bury Me,” “Fish and Whistle,” and “Souvenirs”; and humorous offerings such as “Dear Abby”, “Illegal Smile”, and “Christmas In Prison.”

Prine’s special visions and personal integrity wasn’t always best served by the record company’s style. He pulled away from the corporate music scene and did some soul searching. After a move to Nashville, Prine then decided to form Oh Boy Records, a venture created with longtime manager Al Bunetta and associate Dan Einstein.

Now Prine has the best of all worlds: a devoted following and the means to make his music his own way.



Joel Barrett writes for Stanly News and Press in Albemarle, N.C.



Fair & Square Tour 2006

Jan. 28 St Louis, Mo. Touhill Performing Arts Center

Feb. 10 Charlotte, N.C. Ovens Auditorium

Feb. 11 Greensboro, N.C. War Memorial Auditorium

March 3 Knoxville, Tenn. Tennessee Theater

March 4 Prestonsburg, Ky Mountain Arts Center

March 10 Indianapolis, Ind. Murat Theater

March 11 Carbondale, Ill. Shryock Auditorium

April 21 Richmond, Va. Landmark Theater

April 22 Roanoke, Va. Performing Arts Theater

April 27 Wilkesboro, N.C. Merelfest

April 29 Norfolk, Va. Chrysler Hall

May 5 Rockford, Ill. Coronado Theater

May 6 Waukegan, Ill. Genesee Theater

May 8 Wausau, Wis. Grand Theater

May 10 Madison, Wis. Overture Center

May 13 Appleton, Wis. Fox Cities Performing Arts Center