Asked and answered: John Prine

An authenic American voice, John Prine retains a devoted troop of followers and adoring critics for his down-to-earth, unadorned insights. The ever-humble singer-songwriter will perform at Red Rocks Amphitheater on Friday night.

You’re notoriously patient with your muse. How are you getting a bundle of new songs?

“I didn’t have kids before my two boys, Jack (13) and Tommy (12), came along when I was 49. And I’m here to say that it totally changes your entire life around. I found out that I have to make an appointment with myself in order to go write. I can’t walk around whistling all day and eating hot dogs and waiting for a song to come.”

A diagnosis of neck cancer brought you up short a decade ago. Did you wonder whether a joyful life was possible after a serious illness?

“They found it early enough that it was treatable. I had to lay off the road for about fifteen months for the surgery and radiation and everything. It really gives you some time to think about things, y’know? You’re just a little more grateful for everything there is. I got a lot anyway – I get to go out and play music for a living. But when you realize that, it just puts a nice shine on everything. You just take it easy and enjoy what you’re doing.”

“Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore” established your anti-war credentials in 1971. You had that song in retirement for years. What triggered your decision to bring it back out again in concert?

“My cancer was all in the throat area. When I got all done with my treatment and got my strength back, it turns out my voice had dropped some, almost an octave. And some of my old songs, I never bothered to change the key on them – so I just thought I couldn’t sing them anymore! It didn’t occur to me to take the capo off and sing them in a different key. Once I did, I found that I could still do them. It was time to dust `Flag Decal’ off a few summers ago. It seems like it was begging to be sung again right now, particularly with this administration.”

Red Rocks is your latest visit to Colorado. What was your earliest?

“In the summer of ‘73, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and myself played a tour of nothing but Colorado ski towns in the summertime. There are crowds year round for different events now, but back then a lot of those little ski towns weren’t known as destinations, so we were playing mostly to locals in movie theatres. And it was absolutely crazy. If I live to be 200, I’ll remember that tour. We got in an RV with Ramblin’ Jack’s big sheepdog Caesar, and we had about eight people with us that I think fell off of Ken Kesey’s bus. We just rambled around Colorado. It was great!”