[Lcjones]

Kirk,

What a great introduction to the style of John Prine. It's amazing how Prine can create such a vast range of music with three of four base chords.

Thanks for bringing this one in!

Les

[Kirk Lorange]

It was my pleasure lc, what a great, great artist he is. I'd give my left ... ventricle to be able to string words together like he does.

[WI_Newbie]

What I found really interesting about the lesson is the thumb. In Travis picking the emphasis, as I understood it, was to alternate the thumb. Always alternate that bass line.

But when you watch the vid clip for the Prine lesson it seems key to the melody that at times you stay on the "bass" string for a couple beats and don't alternate. Now when I listen to some of Prine's songs this stands out.

Thanx for the hint, great lesson. I'll be spending some time with this one.

[Lcjones]

That ..... is a JP signature.

Les

[WI_Newbie]

Originally Posted by lcjones

That ..... is a JP signature.

Les

It seems wierd that I never noticed it before. I mean I always knew, could hear, that there was something different than what I was trying to play, more to it.

Very cool thing to find out, now the key is to learn it.

[Mike Bunney]

Thanks for this lesson Kirk a nice piece to play, unfortunately Ive never heard of JP before, I must go and learn more about him. thanks again

[Hockey Rocker]

Thanks for the lesson, Kirk. I appreciate it. It's really my speed and will accelerate my learning curve.

You're right about Prine's lyrics. I don't know why I love the following song so much, but this cliché laden, writer's blocked, self-effacing, introspective ends up being an insightful slice of life and is one of my favorites. As you say, Kirk, it's from the heart.

So, for those new to Prine, Kirk did the hard work, I'll just copy and paste a favorite lyric...

It's A Big Old Goofy World
©John Prine

Up in the morning
Work like a dog
Is better than sitting
Like a bump on a log
Mind all your manners
Be quiet as a mouse
Some day you'll own a home
That's as big as a house

I know a fella
He eats like a horse
Knocks his old balls
Round the old golf course
You oughta see his wife
She's a cute little dish
She smokes like a chimney
And drinks like a fish

There's a big old goofy man
Dancing with a big old goofy girl
Ooh baby
It's a big old goofy world

Now Elvis had a woman
With a head like a rock
I wished I had a woman
That made my knees knock
She'd sing like an angel
And eat like a bird
And if I wrote a song
She'd know ever single word

Kiss a little baby
Give the world a smile
If you take an inch
Give 'em back a mile
Cause if you lie like a rug
And you don't give a damn
You're never gonna be
As happy as a clam

So I'm sitting in a hotel
Trying to write a song
My head is just as empty
As the day is long
Why it's clear as a bell
I should have gone to school
I'd be wise as an owl
Stead of stubborn as a mule.

[mcknett]

I was singing that one this morning!

[redrider37]

Hi, John Prine is my hero, he inspired me to pick up the guitar and learn to play, unfortunatley I am now 53 I just wish I had haerd the man 25 years ago, could you show my how to play "New Train" off lost dogs??

If not no probs, but would love the lesson you posted, where is it?

Thanks


Pete

[tcliff]

The "Folksy pickin' à la John Prine" lessone can be found here:

Folksy pickin' à la John Prine

Tom C

[mcknett]

Pete,

I'm a big fan of John Prine as well. He really only uses about three chords (at least that's what he says) It's the pickin' that amazes me. Check out:

http://www.loc.gov/poetry/kooser-prine.html

And watch how he plays. It's great!!