IN the years before his death, John Prine’s wife and son would drag him out to Nashville clubs like the Basement East or the Exit/In for secret auditions. They’d find a young artist they thought would be a good fit for his label, Oh Boy Records, then gauge his reaction. “John was really quiet when we brought him to see someone,” says Fiona Prine. “I think he felt some pressure, but he’d sit there and listen. A few songs in, he’d usually slap his knee and say, ‘This kid’s got it!’”
“John had a tremendous amount of joy and curiosity”