@JohnPrineMusic has been on constant rotation for a week or so, both on my turntable and in my head. A funny story:

In 2013, there was a tribute to a Cowboy Jack Clement in Nashville...

1

A star-studded assembly was both onstage and in the audience to pay tribute to the man who had done so much for the careers of so many. Jack had asked me to read a section of his unfinished autobiography...

2

Jack, who was terminally ill, closed the show (look it up on YouTube - it was an incredible moment).

Backstage after the show was a love fest, with folks lining up to say goodbye, many of us knowing it’d likely be our final time with The Cowboy...

3

None of us wanted the night to end. Prine huddled a group of us and told of this little out of the way bar in Belmont Village. I made a beeline there in my rental car. Connie Britton parked next to me. She and I found the stairs and headed up.

4

We were the first ones to make it to the destination. John was right, it was a cool joint. There were three folks huddled over near the pool table, but otherwise it was just us. Prine walked in right after we did, “whatcha drinkin?”

5

As the bartender is making our drinks, “Angel From Montgomery” (from John’s LIVE AND IN PERSON album) came on the jukebox.

Our drinks arrived, “To Cowboy Jack” we toast. Drink.

Glasses hit the bar.

6

The jukebox wails “Just give me one thing. That I can hold on to. To believe in this livin' Is just a hard way to go...”

More of the Jack Tribute participants began to arrive. Prine’s cheeks are sort of flushed; he seemed embarrassed.

7

John leans into me, “I want you to know something...” the intimacy of the moment made me think he was about to spill some lifelong secret, “...when I put my money in the jukebox, I DID NOT select that song.”

8

We turned to see the three strangers by the pool table - all have hoisted their mugs Prine’s way.

John slowly turns back to face the bar. “Think we found the culprits.”

9/end