SONG PREMIERE: Jordan Smart Sings Of Aiming To Catch Elusive John Prine Show Via “Song For Prine”

As of this writing we have now lived nearly two months in a world without John Prine. The day he died was a kick in the stomach, a perfectly placed gut punch in the midst of confusing days where, in 24 hours, Bernie dropped out of the 2020 presidential race and Prine breathed his last. The next day was dark, it left so many scratching their heads as they waded through tributes to John that filled their social media feeds. But there are silver linings, there are ALWAYS silver linings to brightly burnish the greys. John Prine’s career was singular in the way that he touched so many through his style of song. He truly was a champion for the people. He sang stories of experiences and feelings we all share here in real America. And those songs inspired thousands to pick up a guitar and sing their truth.

From rockers to folk musicians to hundreds of thousands of fans, John Prine has left his mark on countless hearts and pushed generations of kids and adults into music. Prine’s work is as individual as it is undeniable. His direct nature, the simplicity of his guitar lines that lay context for the stories woven through simple words with a deeply complex message. His are the songs of the common American – instantly relatable by a wide swath of our society. They are the songs of the common man and they are, from one to the next, charming, funny, or deeply sad. 

While there are hundreds of listenable examples of how Prine inspired other musicians, there is one guy, in particular, that drank deeply from John’s well and his name is Jordan Smart. Like Prine, he feels the struggle of salt of the earth Americans because he is one of their number – the hard-working men and women drowning in inequity and grasping for something real in a country and system gone terribly wrong. Smart has always looked to guys like Prine, Steinbeck and others for guidance in his craft and their effect on his music is immediately heard. He is not a carbon copy by any means, but Jordan channels the spirit – that fighting thing that makes you want to stand up and say ENOUGH! He has stepped into the gap and joined the guys that gave poor America a voice to tell all its stories – warts and all. It is not all class war, heartbreak and revolution though.

Jordan writes some funny stuff too. Case in point his latest single Glide is premiering today, “Song for Prine.” This autobiographical little tune chronicles the many mishaps that kept Smart from seeing Prine sing his songs in the flesh. He had tried, time and again, to get to a show and it just seemed like sitting in the presence of this songwriting sensei simply was not in the cards. One calamity after another presented itself either just as he was going to get in the car and head to a performance or something happened on the drive that forced a turnaround. Be it a blown tire on a truck, no place to park outside a ridiculously crowded music festival in San Francisco, a pizza on fire in the kitchen or some other such thing, it seemed the universe was conspiring against Jordan’s hopes to see his hero play. So, what does a guy do in that case? Well, you write a song about it and you write it in a way that makes it sound like Prine himself might have penned it. The song, then, is a “how to” lesson of turning those lemons into lemonade with humility and humor. A recounting of commitment being squelched by every day, shitty circumstances with an underpinning of dogged persistence. The tune is given an even brighter shine by Eric Patterson and Dylan Nicholson of The Turkey Buzzards who played bass and hi-hat and electric guitar and resonator, respectively. 

So, while John Prine might be gone, there is heart to be taken in those that carry on his voice and message. As the sun shines on this cabin porch while this article is being written, that hope and heart can be felt and a smile can creep, ever so slowly, and break the months-long frown. Now that smile is passed on to you and, in most states, its legal now Mr. Prine. Thank you for your inspiration and treasure trove of music. We will miss you very much. 

Oh, for the record, Jordan got to see Prine play. Thank God. Listen to “Song for Prine” on all music platforms today and go get yourself a vodka and a ginger ale.