John Prine Accepts Literary Excellence Award in Boston

John Prine received the prestigious PEN Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence Award on Monday (Sept. 19) at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston. The award is presented every two years by the writers’ group PEN New England. Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan were also recognized with the award.

Drawing from Prine’s catalog, Rosanne Cash and Elvis Costello performed “Hello in There” and John Mellencamp sang “Sabu Visits the Twin Cities Alone.”

Chuck Berry, Leonard Cohen, Kris Kristofferson and Randy Newman are past recipients of the award.

A longtime Nashville resident, Prine will perform his 1971 self-titled debut album at Station Inn on Thursday (Sept. 22) as part of the Americana Music Festival. He is also slated for sold-out shows at the Ryman Auditorium on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.

Prine’s upcoming album, For Better, For Worse, will be released on Oh Boy Records/Thirty Tigers on Sept. 30. He will turn 70 on Oct. 10.