Among the English language’s premier phrase-turners with music relevant to any age, the late great John Prine delivered songs that are both literate and personal. The skilled and compassionate storyteller enjoyed widespread critical acclaim in the wake of his groundbreaking eponymous debut and continued to write and perform songs that became central to our American musical heritage for nearly five decades.

Dedicated to his mother Verna Prine, the intimate and playful John Prine Live was largely recorded during a three-day stint at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, California and released in 1988 on the singer/songwriter’s own label Oh Boy Records. As he explained to David Fricke in 1993: “We didn’t have another artist to put out. The idea was to have me and my guitar, telling stories and doing songs – and buying me some time until I could get into the studio again.”

The version of “Angel From Montgomery” was recorded at an all-star memorial concert for Steve Goodman in Chicago in January 1985 and released later that year as Tribute To Steve Goodman. Prine is joined by Bonnie Raitt (who recorded “Angel From Montgomery” on her 1974 Streetlights album) and guitarist David Bromberg. The version of “Souvenirs” is taken from a 1970s performance by Prine and Goodman from the TV show Austin City Limits.