The Literary Heart of John Prine: A Performance and Conversation

In 2009, Bob Dylan described John Prine’s songwriting as “pure Proustian existentialism. Midwestern mind trips to the Nth degree.” This conversation will look at how the songwriting ofJohn Prine— the first Honorary Poet Laureate of Illinois — exemplifies many of the qualities found in the Midwestern literary tradition by writers as wide-ranging as Kurt Vonnegut, Lorrie Moore, James Wright, Thorton Wilder, and Sherwood Anderson — a minimalist approach to language, outsider narratives that reflect the insularity of small town life, surrealist portrayals of harsh realities, and wry humor.Texas singer-songwriterAlejandro Escovedoand novelistSilas...