John Prine must be smiling broadly from up above after the Americana legend won two posthumous Grammy Awards to take his Grammy-winning total to five from 13 nominations.
Prine’s last song “I Remember Everything” – released last June two months after his death – took out Grammys for Best American Roots Song and Best American Roots Performance. The song, which was co-written with his long-time collaborator Pat McLaughlin, was recorded in 2019 by producer Dave Cobb in Prine’s living room.
The 73-year-old legendary singer-songwriter died on April 7, 2020, of complications from Covid 19 .
Fiona Prine, John’s wife of 24 years, accepted the two latest Grammys from her living room in Nashville during a pre-telecast ceremony at the 2021 music awards on March 14. She said she felt John’s presence very strongly.
“He had this remarkable unique talent and his songs are a testimony of that. I often tell people if you want to know the story of John Prine, start reading the lyrics of the first song and so all the way to ‘I Remember Everything.’”
In fact, “I Remember Everything” was described by one critic at the time of its release, as “an ode to a life well-lived” with lyrics that were pure-Prine:
I remember everything
Things I can’t forget
The way you turned and smiled on me
On the night that we first met
And I remember every night
Your ocean eyes of blue
How I miss you in the morning light
Like roses miss the dew
Prine’s awards may have been relegated to the non-broadcast segment of the Grammys, but he was well remembered in the prime-time In Memorian tribute to artists who died last year. Close friend Brandi Carlile, who was a Grammy winner as part of The Highwomen, gave an emotional rendition of “I Remember Everything.” She said: “We all thank you John … for everything.”
Prine won his first Grammy In 1991, when his album The Missing Years was named Contemporary Folk Album of the year. In 2005, Fair and Square won the same award and a year ago Prine was given a Lifetime Achievement Grammy.
There were also deserved winners in other Americana-related Grammys.
Texas-native Sarah Jarosz took the Best Americana Album award for World on the Ground, an album she perfected with New York producer Joh Leventhal, husband of Roseanne Cash. It was indeed the fifth Grammy for the 29-year-old singer-songwriter. She had previously won three as a solo artist and one with the Americana super-group I’m With Her.
Gillian Welsh and David Rawlings also added to their collection of Grammys by winning Best Folk Album for All the Good Times, which was released early in the pandemic and includes a cover of Prine’s classic “Hello in There” and two great takes on Dylan numbers “Senior” and “Abandoned Love.” Though Welch and Rawlings have been musical partners for decades, All the Good Times was their first joint-billing album.
And there were two Grammys for a couple of legends who have criss-crossed musical landscapes during their long careers.
Vince Gill took his Grammy total to 22 - more than any other male country music artist. He collected the Grammy for Best Country Solo Performance with “When my Amy Prays”. And
James Taylor, who, at 73, is ten years old than Gill, pocketed his sixth Grammy when won Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album with American Standard.
The buzz of the evening came with the remarks of bluegrass picker Billy Strings when he won his first Grammy when Home was named Best Bluegrass Album. “Holy shit. Thank you so much,” he gushed. “Thank you to the Academy and, last but most of all, all the fans who come to all the shows and see us play.” Strings has been consistently staging socially- distanced concerts, during the pandemic.
Winners of Americana-related Grammys at the 2021 Grammy Awards:
Best Americana Album: Sarah Jarosz, World on the Ground
Best American Roots Song: John Prine, “I Remember Everything”
Best American Roots Performance: John Prine, I Remember Everything
Best Folk Album: Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, All the Good Times
Best Bluegrass Album: Billy Strings, Home
Best Country Solo Performance: Vince Gill, "When My Amy Prays"
Best Country Album: Miranda Lambert, Wildcard
Best Country Song: The Highwomen, “Crowded Table”
Best Country Duo/Group Performance: Dan + Shay & Justin Bieber, “10,000"
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: James Taylor, American Standard
Best Blues Album: Fantastic Negrito, Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?
Best Traditional Blues Album: Bobby Rush, Rawer Than Raw