(Update, now stable!) John Prine in critical condition, Covid-19. Tweet from family:

[greyl]

Last edited Mon Mar 30, 2020, 04:57 PM - Edit history (1)

Link to tweet

Update, March 30: Now stable!

Link to tweet

[SheltieLover]

1. 😢

[blitzen]

2. Oh, no! We're pulling for you, John!

[ZZenith]

3. Oh no.

Stay strong, John Prine. We need you to write about this debacle when it’s all over.

[blm]

4. 😢

[Greybnk48]

5. Sad, sad news. n/t

[Satch59]

6. Oh no...😥

So awful. We saw him 2 years ago at Red Rocks on an absolutely gorgeous summer night. What a national treasure... peace to John and his family...

[Docreed2003]

7. F*****ck

I love John, as an artist and a person...this news is heartbreaking

[wendyb-NC]

8. Oh no, tragic.

May the powers of goodness love and healing be fast with you.

[Midnight Writer]

9. Oh, no. Not John Prine.

[LakeArenal]

10. Don't give up John. Lots of good vibes and hope for your recovery.

[central scrutinizer]

11. Oh no!

Such a great songwriter!

[underpants]

12. Ugh

Love him

[dhill926]

13. Fuck...

[treestar]

14. Such a great songwriter

I hope he recovers - he's elderly now.

[onethatcares]

30. what?????

do you have any idear what he'd say if you referred to him as "ELDERLY"?????? JESIS ON A PADDLEBOARD, HE'D HAUNT YOU FOREVER.

Whew, he's written far too much music to not know what happens at the last chord.

I hope to meet him on the other side.

"I want to burn one with John Prine".

[treestar]

37. Me too.

Hahah he can haunt me too.

He was younger probably when he wrote a song sensitive to old people, "Hello in There."

Hello In There
John Prine

We had an apartment in the city
Me and Loretta liked living there
Well, it'd been years since the kids had grown
A life of their own left us alone
John and Linda live in Omaha
And Joe is somewhere on the road
We lost Davy in the Korean war
And I still don't know what for, don't matter anymore

Ya' know that old trees just grow stronger
And old rivers grow wilder ev'ry day
Old people just grow lonesome
Waiting for someone to say, "Hello in there, hello"

Me and Loretta, we don't talk much more
She sits and stares through the back door screen
And all the news just repeats itself
Like some forgotten dream that we've both seen
Someday I'll go and call up Rudy
We worked together at the factory
But what could I say if asks "What's new?"
"Nothing, what's with you? Nothing much to do"

So if you're walking down the street sometime
And spot some hollow ancient eyes
Please don't just pass 'em by and stare
As if you didn't care, say, "Hello in there, hello"

[ancianita]

61. +1

[onethatcares]

71. ya know what my friend?

It's my deepest appreciation to know you, even if I don't face to face know you.[

Thanks

[loyalsister]

78. Are you kidding with this?

He has written tons of songs celebrating older people. A couple of yrs ago, when I saw him in concert he talked about how he had hoped to grow up to be an old person, as he introduced "Hello In There." He has celebrated elderly people in his music.

[onethatcares]

81. I don'tr think he considers

himself "old".

that's all.

[The Magistrate]

15. That's A Damn Shame

One of the greats, and a local boy to boot.

[kentuck]

16. One of my all-time favorites.

This is very sad.

[mvd]

17. Prayers/good vibes for recovery

I really need to look into his music more.

[kentuck]

18. Hello in There

[Bradshaw3]

23. Great choice!

A song that truly shows where his heart is, as so many of his works do.

[klook]

31. One of the most beautiful songs of all time.

I don’t even like his style of music (folk, singer-songwriter, country-ish), but I *love* John Prine. He’s really in a category by himself.

[treestar]

38. lovely video!

Such a great song!

[bsiebs]

54. Hello in There and Sam Stone both make me tear up

[onethatcares]

19. gauddammmint

though I hope for the best, In this world he won't stand a chance.

John, I'm planning to play "Sam Stone" tonite. I hope you hear it.

[LuckyCharms]

20. oh no

[Lars39]

21. Crap!

We're going to lose so many people.

[2naSalit]

22. Makes me even more pissed off!

I certainly hope he can recover and be well for as long as he is wanting to. He' has had many respiratory problems and related surgeries in recent years. I wish the best for him.

[jalan48]

24. Sad to hear this.

[Dopers_Greed]

25. Terrible news

[irisblue]

26. I want him better

[crickets]

41. So beautiful and poignant I burst into sobs.

There's only so much 'keep calm and carry on' in each of us during all this, and that just busted the dam for me. John Prine is an amazing song writer and I am so sorry to hear he's ill. I know we're all pulling for him to get better soon.

[ancianita]

62. +1

[Traildogbob]

27. 💔

Sitting on the porch today playing my song lists, and going back into my favs. Very many are Johns song’s and went through a dozen of his greatest. Just felt great reminiscing. Had no idea he was sick. My heart is breaking. Bless you John, for so many years, so many stories. 🙏🏽

[volstork]

28. Just saw him at the

movie theatre right after the holidays.

We are pulling for you, John!

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

29. This news brings me to tears.

He's one of the good ones.

[SunSeeker]

32. ...

[Botany]

33. Daddy won't you take me back to Muhlenberg County

“When I die let my ashes float down the Green River

Let my soul roll on up to the Rochester dam

I’ll be halfway to Heaven with Paradise waitin’

Just five miles away from wherever I am.”

[treestar]

39. Beautiful

another great song.

[FailureToCommunicate]

43. I was in that county after the song was a hit. As we drove along, I said...

to my host, "Gee, it doesn't look bad at all. There are green hillsides, and birds, and such..."

She said, hold on, let's turn off this main highway.

OH MY GOD! The land behind the potemkin green frontsides, was gone. A moonscape. Like looking at Mars. One huge open scar as far as the eye could see.

Heartbreaking. Thanks Peabody Coal Company.

John Prine knew what he was singing about.

[Dem2theMax]

48. That's where my dad's family comes from. Muhlenberg County Kentucky.

John Prine, give it everything you've got. We are all pulling for you.

[ancianita]

63. +1

[TNNurse]

34. Cried when I read it on FB.

He has not been in good health for awhile.

He is a huge part of the soundtrack of my life.

I am sad about Joe Diffie dying though I was not much of a fan. I can sing many John Prine songs and do so when I need him.

[Bluethroughu]

35. I hope he is able to recover

[Mrs. Overall]

36. Shit.

[Hobo]

40. But Ted Nugent gets to live?

That ain’t right


Hobo:

[mentalsolstice]

42. I saw him in concert in the mid 90s

My husband and our best friend were big fans, while I was only somewhat familiar with his music. The big draw for me was that the Cowboy Junkies were his opening act. OMG, what a great concert in a relatively small setting!

[kinksfan1]

53. I saw this tour in Florida!

I still remember this concert from the mid 90's. Both Prine and the Cowboy Junkies brought tears to my eyes. Never forget it!

[mentalsolstice]

77. It was a perfect pairing! nt

[jls4561]

44. I'm bookmarking all the John Prine videos DUers are posting.

I don't want to cry right now.

[paleotn]

45. Damn.

[deancr]

46. Very

very sad.

[BobTheSubgenius]

47. "The years just flow past me like a broken-down dam..."

One of my all-time favourite lines of verse from one of America's greatest living songwriters. I sure hope he has a lot more left in him.

All best wishes for John and his family.

[turbinetree]

49. John Prine - Please Don't Bury Me - Live Merlefest 2016

[ancianita]

60. +1

[turbinetree]

66. +1 to you..........................thanks....................

[ancianita]

67. I can't even type ... I'm too choked up.

[turbinetree]

75. John Prine had a way with his words that made people think................and I am sure

that he knows that there are many, many people thinking of him tonight and we are all in the same situation-------------we are choked up...................his songs were basically about having empathy for the other person.................

[blitzen]

50. Here's a cheerful one

[blitzen]

52. Bruised Orange (Chain of Sorrow)

You can gaze out the window get mad and get madder,
Throw your hands in the air, say "what does it matter? "
But it don't do no good to get angry,
So help me I know

For a heart stained in anger grows weak and grows bitter.
You become your own prisoner as you watch yourself sit there
Wrapped up in a trap of your very own
Chain of sorrow.

[ancianita]

64. +1

[bubbazero]

51. John Prine song; Some Humans ain't Human

Mr. Prine, YOU, SIR, ARE SO MUCH MORE THAN A PERFORMER. YOUR SOUL EXPRESSED. COMFORT WHEN HUMAN NATURE HURTS

[blitzen]

55. Lifelong John Prine lover here: I saw him when I was 13 and when I was 57. Be well, John!

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

56. Damn

Hang in there John.

[illegal smile]

57. We're living in the future I'll tell you how I know

I saw it in the paper 15 years ago

Fuck

[Lars39]

59. Welcome to DU, illegal smile

Wish it was under happier circumstances

[calimary]

65. Welcome to DU, illegal smile!

Man, we played a lot of John Prine at my college radio station.



Hang in there, sir. We're pulling for you.

[kinksfan1]

58. This news hit me really hard.

John's music has gotten me through some of the toughest times of my life. Seeing so much appreciation for him here makes me feel that I've found a great group of people to hang out with.

[calimary]

68. Welcome to DU, kinksfan1!

"While digesting Readers Digest in the back of a dirty book store... "

Glad you're here. Sounds like you belong!

[AllyCat]

69. Nooooo!!!!

Oh terrible! Sending healing vibes sir. Peace.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

70. My kids learned about John Prine's songs by hearing me squawk them on road trips ...

Trips to my mother's house took over an hour. I had memorized enough John Prine songs to make the kids suffer for much of that time. For some reason, they preferred to hear John sing the songs.

[Ramsey Barner]

73. I run into the same problem.

Kids these days!

[UTUSN]

72. In Spite of Ourselves

[Hermit-The-Prog]

74. I caught the tail end of that on tv, of all places, and HAD to track it down!

They're the perfect duo for that song.

[secondwind]

76. This is so sad................ :(

[Totally Tunsie]

79. JP, you need to get well.

We're not ready for you to leave us yet.

[Duppers]

80. 😢

Bookmarking this thread for the videos. I love him - wish I believed in miracles.

Thanks for posting, my friend. Stay safe.

[ThoughtCriminal]

82. Paradise

One of my favorites...

[greyl]

84. Good news, now in stable condition! Tweet from wife:

Link to tweet