Contributed
Featuring songs such as Dear Abby, Illegal Smile, Paradise and Angel from Montgomery, local songsmith Dave McBride will perform some of the amazing singer/songwriter John Prine’s most popular songs in his tribute concert, Prine Time.
McBride will be joined onstage by Charlie Veaudry and special guest, Sally Evans. For both those familiar with Prine’s songs and those curious about his writing, this tribute will be a real treat.
Prine was born in Illinois and began playing guitar at the age of 14. His remarkable talent as a wordsmith was discovered in the early ‘70s by Kris Kristofferson — a great songwriter in his own right.
After hearing Prine’s songs, Kristofferson said that Prine was so good at writing that, “He may have to break his thumbs.”
Prine’s songs are humorous, with lyrics about love and life and current events. His songs are serious, sometimes offering social and political commentary. His lyrics are filled with innuendo and tongue-in-cheek phrases along with wordings that evoke deep emotion.
Prine is a very influential songwriter/performer whose fan base includes people from all walks of life, including Bob Dylan and the late Johnny Cash.
And one of his biggest fans is McBride, who was playing in a bluegrass band in Ontario when a friend told him to check out Prine’s Great Compromise. McBride was hooked.
A multi-instrumentalist who plays harmonica, bass guitar and drums, alongside his first instrument the autoharp, McBride added Prine songs to his repertoire.
In the early days, there were only a few people who knew the name John Prine, but as the master of songwriting became more and more well-known, audiences began to request his songs and McBride has been more than happy to comply. And so the dream of performing a tribute concert was born.
McBride reached out to his close friend Veaudry with the idea, and Veaudry, being a Prine fan as well, jumped at the chance to be a part of the show. Veaudry’s first Prine moment came when he heard the poignant melody Sam Stone.
A member of the bluegrass band Canadian Whitewater and the duo Virgil Caine, Veaudry will be playing guitar and mandolin while singing harmony.
No stranger to the local music scene, special guest Evans will join McBride on stage on guitar and vocals for some of Prine’s most famous duets.
Still touring and writing today, Prine has a huge and dedicated following of fans. McBride has been to see Prine in concert at least a dozen times and has never been disappointed.
McBride, Veaudry and Evans rock the Schubert Centre’s emerald room in a tribute to Prine’s work Sept. 29. There will be a cash bar and the doors open at 6:45 p.m. with the concert starting at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 and are on sale at The Bean Scene Coffee House, Schubert Centre and at the door if available. For more information, email nahoway55@gmail.com.