Short Bio: Born: Maywood, Illinois, October 10, 1946.
depending on the bios you read, Prine either learned how to play guitar at the age of fourteen or later in life when he decided not to be a "mail man". He grew up in Maywood, Illinois, which is a blue collar suburb of Chicago. The Bios agree that he was taught the Guitar by his brother, David. John spent two years in the Army after finishing highschool and then got a job as a letter carrier with the U. S. Postal Service. It didn't take John a long time to figure out that it was more comfortable playing in bars than delivering mail during Chicago's bitter cold winters.
So John started writing songs and performing in Chicago area bars and clubs and gave up the fast paced life of a letter carrier (Prine could have retired by now from the postal service). His debut was in 1970, at "The Fifth Peg". followed by frequent bookings at "the Earl Of Old Town"
John met Steve when he went to see the great man who had written what John called the Best Railroad song ever recorded. To paraphrase John from an interview: "I had heard that the guy who wrote 'City of New Orleans' was palying at the Earl and I wanted to go listen to him. I had this mental picture of what the signer would like. I was expecting to see this real tall, skinny guy with a goatee and a real deep voice.
"So I walk in and I ask if I could meet Steve Goodman and this little guy with long hair and a full beard walks over and I ask him if he was going to take me back to meet Steve Goodman and he tells me he was Steve Goodman."
It was in the Chicago bars that He and Steve Goodman were discovered by Paul Anka and Kris Kristofferson. The rest is history.
Prine, John.
(Sound recording) Atlantic SD 18127. p1975. 1 disc. 33 1/3 rpm. stereo. 12 in. Durations given. Cast: Songs; vocals and guitar by the composer, with ensemble. Recorded at Ardent Studios, Memphis, and Larabee Studios, Los Angeles. Contents:
Prine, John.
(SOUND RECORDING) Atlantic SD 7240. p1972. 1 disc. 33 1/3 rpm. stereo. 12 in. Cast: Songs: the composer with instrumental accompaniment. Contents:
Prine, John. prf
(sound recording (CD)) / John Prine. (S.l.) : Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, (between 1984 and 1987) 1 sound disc : digital, stereo. ; 4 3/4 in. + 1 booklet (7 p. : 2 ports. ; 12 cm.) Compact disc. Songs written by John Prine alone or in conjunction with others. John Prine, vocal, acoustic guitar, rhythm guitar ; Rachel Peer-Prine, bass ; Leo LeBlanc, pedal steel ; Tony Newman, drums ; Dave Prine, fiddle ; Bobby Whitlock, electric piano ; Phillip Donnelly, electric guitar ; Jim Rooney, acoustic guitar. Contents:
Prine, John.
(Sound recording) Asylum 6E-139. p1978. 1 disc. 33 1/3 rpm. stereo. 12 in. Lyrics on inner liner. Cast: Songs; vocal and guitar by the composer, with ensemble. Contents:
Prine, John.
(Sound recording) New York : Atlantic Records, p1975. 1 sound cassette : 1 7/8 ips, stereo. Contents:
Prine, John.
(sound recording) / all selections composed by John Prine. Atlantic, (1971) 1 sound disc Popular songs. The composer, vocals, guitar, with ensemble. Contents:
Prine, John.
(Sound recording) (S.l.) : Asylum Records p1979. 1 cassette (35 min.) : 1 7/8 ips, stereo. Contents:
Prine, John.
(sound recording) Los Angeles, Calif. : Asylum, c1980 1 sound disc (ca. 32 min.) : 33 1/3 rpm, stereo. 12 in. Lyrics on sleeve.
Cast: Songs; sung by and mostly composed by John Prine, with instrumental accompaniment. Prine, John.
(sound recording) / John Prine. Los Angeles, Calif. : Oh Boy Records, c1986. 1 sound disc : 33 1/3 rpm, stereo ; 12 in. + 1 sheet. Contents:
ISBN $$8.24 1. Rock music I. OBR 003 Oh Boy Records II. Title. ocm15-060109 Prine, John.
(sound recording) / John Prine. Los Angeles : Oh Boy, p1988. 2 sound discs : analog, 33 1/3 rpm, stereo ; 12 in. Contents:
Prine, John.
(sound recording) / John Prine. CD ed. New York : Atlantic, c1973. 1 sound disc : digital ; 4 3/4 in. + 1 booklet. Lyrics on container insert. Cast: Songs; the composer with unidentified musicians. Contents:
Prine, John.
(sound recording) / John Prine. Los Angeles, Calif. : Oh Boy Records, c1991. 1 sound disc : digital ; 4 3/4 in. Lyrics on container insert. Compact disc. Songs written by John Prine alone or in conjunction with others. John Prine, vocal, acoustic guitar, electric guitar ; with accompanying vocalists and musicians. Recorded at Huh Sound Theater, Los Angeles, CA. Contents:
/ Eddy Marnay, Carl Stalling ; (performed by) Bugs Bunny. Allume la te'le' (sound recording / Jen Jiry, John Prine ; (performed by) Bugs Bunny). (U.S.?) : Warner Brothers, 1959, 1971. 1 sound disc (4 min., 23 sec.) : analog, 45 rpm ; 7 in. Director of music : Gilbert Grilli. 1. Bugs Bunny (Fictitious character) 2. Children's songs I. Marnay, Eddy. II. Prine, John. III. Stalling, Carl. IV. Jiry, Jen. V. 17 482 Warner Brothers VI. Title. ocm24-957177 Prine, John.
(sound recording) : the John Prine anthology Los Angeles : Rhino, p1993. 2 sound cassettes : analog, Dolby processed. All selections previously released 1971-1991. John Prine, vocals, guitar ; with addional musicians. Contents:
Prine, John.
(sound recording). Nashville, TN : Oh Boy Records, p1993. 1 sound disc (33 min.) : digital ; 4 3/4 in. Compact disc. John Prine, vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar ; with accompanying vocalists and musicians. Recorded at Cowboy Arms Hotel and Recording Spa, Nashville, TN Contents:
1. Christmas music I. OBR011CD Oh Boy Records II. Title. Prine, John.
(sound recording) Nashville, TN : Oh Boy Records, p1995. 1 sound disc : digital ; 4 3/4 in. Title from container insert. Compact disc. Lyrics and credits in container. John Prine, vocals and acoustic guitar; various other musicians. Contents:
(sound recording) : Singer-songwriters of the '70s. New York, NY : Rhino, p1995. 1 sound cassette : analog, Dolby processed. Biographical and program notes by Barry Alfonso on insert. Contemporary folk performed by various artists. Recorded 1969-1975. Contents:
(Song Book) Prine, John. John Prine. Cotillion Music, (1972) 95 p. of music Contents:
ISBN pbk. : $$5.95 1. Popular music--United States. ocm03-469174