John Prine: In Spite of Himself

In 2011, singer/songwriter John Prine (b. 1946) released The Singing Mailman Delivers as a sardonic wink to his humble beginnings as a mail carrier in suburban Chicago. Here music journalist Huffman (Greensboro News & Record) retraces Prine's musical development from his childhood in Maywood, IL, to the establishment of his own record label, Oh Boy Records, in Nashville. Using his songs as a narrative frame, Huffman digs into Prine's Kentucky roots, his alcoholism, and his status among his musical peers. The compelling story of a gifted songwriter with a talent for distilling the American experience into music is interlaced with entertaining anecdotes about Prine and his friends, such as Bob Dylan and Kris Kristofferson. Detailing both his subject's personal accomplishments and his setbacks, the author uncovers the human spirit that motivates Prine to continue touring well into his golden years.