Book ~ "Living in the Present with John Prine" (2025) Tom Piazza

From Goodreads ~ In the spring of 2018, Tom Piazza climbed into a 1977 Coupe DeVille with the great singer-songwriter John Prine, taking a Florida road trip that soon evolved into a deep friendship, full of jokes and tall tales over epic meals, afternoons digging around antique malls and record stores, and long nights playing guitar and trading songs. 

Eventually they decided to write Prine’s memoir together and Prine shared intimate, often hilarious stories of his youth and family in Chicago and Kentucky, his breakthrough into the national spotlight, his riotous early years in the Nashville country scene, and much more. 

When Prine died suddenly of COVID in April 2020, that unfinished memoir evolved into an intimate narrative of the artist’s final years. Piazza offers fans an unforgettable portrait of the beloved musician in his late glory - as a boyish cut-up, an epic raconteur, a great American poet, and most importantly, the good friend his fans have always imagined.

John Prine was an American country/folk singer-songwriter who has been around since the early 1970s. I've been a fan of John Prine for over 40 years. I've seen him many times in concert and was happy I attended his last concert here in Toronto (The Tree of Forgiveness tour). I think his death during COVID probably hit me the hardest of all the celebs who had passed away during that time.

Tom Piazza spent time with Prine at home and on the road with the intent of writing an article about him before Prine asked him to work on a memoir about him. They ended up enjoying a two year friendship before he passed away. Piazza shared moments that showed Prine's sense of humor, his love for the simple things and the way he saw the world a little differently than most. Even after surviving cancer, Prine didn’t dwell on the past or future ... he was all about appreciating what was right in front of him (especially food and dessert!). Prine's songs were simple but packed with emotion, real life, heart and a touch of wry humor. 

I enjoyed this book. I like that there were actual interviews with Prine transcribed so we got to know Prine in his own words and his sense of humour. Prine sounds like a fun guy to hang out with. In addition to spending time with Prine, Piazza also spent time with his family including Prine's wife, Fiona, his sons and his late older brother, Dave. It was nice to see the intimate pictures of Prine as a regular guy. As a head's up, there is swearing.