John Prine 80th Birthday Tribute Concert Set for Chicago

How lucky can one city get? Chicago, the city where John Prine began his career as a singing mailman in the early Seventies and where he was eventually discovered by Kris Kristofferson, will play host to a major tribute concert to the late singer-songwriter just days before what would have been Prine’s 80th birthday. 

Dubbed Souvenirs: 80 Years of John Prine, the initial lineup is already stacked: Steve Earle, Kathleen Edwards, Joy Oladokun, Margo Price, Ratboys, Noeline Hofmann, Shemekia Copeland, Amos Lee, Josh Ritter, Andrew Sa, and Jon Langford are all set to play at the Oct. 8 show at the Chicago Theatre. Actor and musician John C. Reilly will host the evening and also perform. Additional artists are expected to be announced.

“John’s connection to Chicago was so important to him,” his widow, Fiona Prine, tells Rolling Stone. “Having grown up here, and with family still in the area, any excuse was a great excuse to visit — and enjoy an Italian beef sandwich! Chicago made John… He attended classes at Old Town School [of Folk Music] and met his dear friend and mentor, Steve Goodman.”

Since Prine’s death from complications of Covid in 2020, his family, through their Hello in There Foundation, has hosted annual weeklong birthday tributes to Prine in Nashville; this summer, there is also a major celebration of his music at the Wolf Trap in Virginia. But Souvenirs: 80 Years of John Prine will mark the first time there will be an official salute to his music in the city near which he was raised. Prine grew up in nearby Maywood, Illinois. 

“This year it feels like the celebration will come full circle as we recognize his roots in Chicago,” says Prine’s son Jack. “We’re so excited to honor his career and celebrate his life in the city where it all began.”

More Prine-focused Chicagoland celebrations and events will be announced in the coming months.