John Prine was a talented singer/songwriter with a career spanning over four decades, exploring various genres such as folk, rock, country, and rockabilly.
Born on October 10, 1946, in Maywood, Illinois, to Verna Valentine Hamm and William Mason Prine, a tool-and-die maker, John was taught how to play guitar by his brother at the age of fourteen.
Prior to pursuing music, John worked as a postman for five years and served in the Army for two years before joining the Chicago folk music scene.
John's self-titled 1971 debut album received critical acclaim, and his subsequent albums, "Diamonds in the Rough" and "Sweet Revenge", were well-received but failed to achieve commercial success.
In the mid-1970s, John diversified his sound, incorporating elements of rock and rockabilly into his music.
Throughout the 1980s, John continued to release albums, including "The Missing Years", which won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album in 1991.
John's songs have been covered by numerous artists, including The Everly Brothers, Bette Midler, Joan Baez, and Laura Cantrell.
In addition to his music career, John had co-starring roles in the movies "Falling from Grace" and "Daddy and Them", and his songs have appeared on the soundtracks of several films.
In 1998, John was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the neck, underwent surgery and radiation treatment, and made a full recovery in 1999.
John received the Artist of the Year Award at the Americana Music Awards in 2005 and released the critically acclaimed album "Standard Songs for Average People".
In 2005, John released his 15th studio album, "Fair & Square", which won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album at the 48th Grammy Awards.
In late 2014, John was diagnosed with cancer again, underwent surgery and treatment, and returned to touring in 2015.
Sadly, John passed away in 2020 due to complications from COVID-19.
