John Prine RIP

[MDEW]

   It is sad to say and hear that we have lost another great singer, songwriter and friend.  John Prine passed do to complications of the corona virus. John was not in the greatest of health to begin with and the added stress of the virus became too much for his body to handle.

   If you have heard John singing you may wonder why he would be brought up in a Vocalists forum. From a singers standpoint he was not the best of singers and his voice did not have any special characteristics. His songs are simple, uncomplicated and lack any technical flare. When he sings and writes it is as if he were having a conversation with his best friend.

 That is the very reason why his songs are special, why he has had a career in music from the time he took a dare on an open mike night at a local pub and captured the hearts of many people around the world. He sings like he is singing to family, he is engaging,  funny and he makes you think a little bit.

  You do not have to be the best singer with the highest notes or the most complicated  vocal runs with the perfect intonation , tone and vibrato to be a good singer or entertainer. You just need to have something to say and someone to say it to and communicate the message.

 

[MDEW]

   I learned how to play guitar mostly from learning some of Johns songs,  Jim Croce and James Taylor. The songs are simple enough to figure out yourself and interesting enough that you can play them over and over again without getting bored. Plus, if you are singing a song that makes people laugh you can get away with not sounding too good. 

   Either John's sense of humor is similar to mine or l gained my sense of humor by listening to him.  Lyrics like " I knew a girl that was almost a lady"  and "she won't let me live with her, and she makes me live in my head", helps to give you a new way to express things.