Prine's songcraft and storytelling shine

JOHN PRINE, CARRIE RODRIGUEZ, Red Butte Garden Amphitheater, Aug. 19

It may have been billed as a concert, but John Prine's performance Thursday at Red Butte Garden's outdoor ampitheater was an evening of storytelling at its very best.

Prine showed why his songcraft has been cited as an inspiration by American music icons like Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash — because he can shape an entire world out of a few guitar chords and lyrics that, while simple, often shine a light into life's darkest moments.

A performance heavy on songs and light on banter started off with a tune that's become a go-to opener, "Spanish Pipedream," and proceeded to take the nearly capacity audience on a traipse through Prine's four decades of work.

"Six O'Clock News," from Prine's eponymous 1971 debut album, came up early in his set and tells the tale of a fatherless boy whose untimely and violent demise is made known via a TV broadcast.

"When I was young, I had a tendency to kill the lead character," Prine quipped after playing the song. "Makes it hard for a sequel."

Joined by his longtime backup musicians, Jason Wilber on lead guitar and mandolin and Dave Jacques on bass, Prine kept the crowd enthralled with favorites like "Grandpa Was a Carpenter," "The Glory of True Love," "Fish and Whistle" and "Souvenirs."

At 63, Prine has hardly lost a step despite of a battle with cancer in the late '90s that required neck surgery and chemotherapy.

He took the stage alone to perform a handful of tunes, including a particularly touching version of "Donald and Lydia," also from his debut album.

Prine's music occupies a space that many label as folk — the catch-all category for guitar playing singer-songwriters — but much of his work is tinged with country and bluegrass tones. Regardless of the tag that's applied, Prine is among the greatest 20th century American songwriters, and his work continues to influence new musicians.

That ongoing presence is verified in an album of covers released in June and recorded by a panoply of hipster musicians paying homage to Prine. They include Conor Oberst, The Avett Brothers and My Morning Jacket.

e-mail: araymond@desnews.com