John Prine Gathers Classic Songs, Female Singers For New Album

John Prine will release For Better, Or Worse, an album of classic songs recorded with female vocalists, on Sept. 30. The project will be released on his own label, Oh Boy Records, distributed by Thirty Tigers.

The songs were originally written or popularized by artists like Hank Williams, George Jones, Buck Owens and Ernest Tubb. Prine recorded all but one of the songs as duets with female artists from country and roots music, including Iris DeMent, Alison Krauss, Miranda Lambert, Kathy Mattea, Kacey Musgraves, Amanda Shires, Susan Tedeschi, Holly Williams and Lee Ann Womack.

His wife, Fiona Prine, sings with him on “My Happiness,” while the set concludes with a solo performance of “Just Waiting.”

“I cut my teeth on Hank Williams songs,” Prine says. “When I sing these songs there is a small pipeline straight from my heart to my lips.”

To coincide with the release, Prine will perform at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. A 2003 inductee into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Prine will turn 70 on Oct. 10.

The concept of For Better, Or Worse is similar to Prine’s 1999 album, In Spite of Ourselves. That album will be released on vinyl for the first time on July 29.

John Prine’s For Better, Or Worse Track List
1. “Who’s Gonna Take The Garbage Out” feat. Iris Dement
2. “Storms Never Last” feat. Lee Ann Womack
3. “Falling In Love Again” feat. Alison Krauss
4. “Color Of The Blues” feat. Susan Tedeschi
5. “I’m Telling You” feat. Holly Williams
6. “Remember Me” feat. Kathy Mattea
7. “Look At Us” feat. Morgane Stapleton
8. “Dim Lights, Thick Smoke” feat. Amanda Shires
9. “Fifteen Years Ago” feat. Lee Ann Womack
10. “Cold Cold Heart” feat. Miranda Lambert
11. “Dreaming My Dreams” feat. Kathy Mattea
12. “Mental Cruelty” feat. Kacey Musgraves
13. “Mr. & Mrs. Used To Be” feat. Iris Dement
14. “My Happiness” feat. Fiona Prine
15. “Just Waiting”