John Prine

After 25 long years, award-winning artist and master storyteller John Prine will finally make his way back to NZ spotlight, playing his critically-acclaimed shows happening in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington next year.

After bringing Kiwi audiences to their feet, John Prine will be winding up his Australian tour where he'll be playing for his eagerly-awaiting fans in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

From the release of his eponymous, groundbreaking debut in 1971, Prine has forged a path through the American musical landscape, with his heartfelt narratives and expressive voice. He was recently named Artist of the Year at the 17th annual Americana Honors & Awards and landed a nomination for the USA's prestigious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In April 2018, the multi-talented icon released his first new original songs in 13 years: the critically-acclaimed 'The Tree Of Forgiveness' (Oh Boy Records/Cooking Vinyl). The album debuted at #1 on Billboard's Folk Albums chart, #2 on Top Country, and #5 on the overall Billboard 200—the highest chart positions of Prine's career.

The list of performers who have worked with Prine or appeared alongside him on his many albums, reads like a who's who of the greats: Bruce Springsteen, Johnny Cash, Bonnie Raitt, Iris Dement, Dan Auerbach, Tom Petty, the Everly Brothers, John Denver, Kris Kristofferson, Emmylou Harris, Carly Simon, Ben Harper, Lucinda Williams, Norah Jones, Bette Midler, and more.

"Beautiful songs... nobody but Prine could write like that." - Bob Dylan

"Prine is the king... one of the greatest songwriters and performers that ever was. His stage show is better than ever and attendance should be considered mandatory." - Dan Auerbach

The Illinois-born virtuoso started off as a simple mailman delivering letters across his childhood suburb. Raised in the Midwest, Prine wrote songs that are filled with the tales of blue collar suburbs where country music—the Grand 'Ol Opry, good Southern cooking—and annual visits to Kentucky were as natural as Chicago hot dogs and baseball. Since breaking onto the music scene in the 70s, Prine became a 2003 inductee of Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, received an Americana Lifetime Achievement Award for songwriting and was recognised at the Library of Congress by US Poet Laureate Ted Kooser. These only prove that Prine has become not just a well-loved and appreciated songwriter, but a bonafide American treasure.

Joining Prine as special guest is Kentucky singer-songwriter Tyler Childers, who released his breakout debut 'Purgatory' in 2017, recently played Chicago's Lollapalooza festival and supported Jack White in Minneapolis. Steeped in the sounds of the Appalachian South, Childers' debut is bluegrass-infused, semi-autobiographical tracks co-produced by Grammy winners Sturgill Simpson and David Ferguson.

These highly-anticipated shows from one of America's greatest artists, John Prine, will be truly unforgettable, so don't miss out!