Singer/songwriter John Prine said he was a little concerned about the song list for his new album "Fair & Square" — he thought he had too many ballads.
"But as things started shaping up, I realized that the songs started to fit together nicely," Prine said by phone from his home in Nashville, Tenn.
Getting "Fair & Square" ready for release was a long, drawn-out process, Prine explained. "I had written some songs before I went into the studio. And I figured that if I actually went into the studio with the songs I had finished, that would give me the kick to finish the album."
Still, it was a start-and-stop project. And once Prine was in the middle of it, he was nearly ready to look for a way out. "I wanted to give up and give the songs to someone else and have them finish the album," he said with a laugh. "Altogether it was about a three-to-four-month process. But I am happy with the outcome."
True to his everyman style of songwriting, Prine's "Fair & Square" is filled with Americana imagery, roots-music philosophy and poignant lyrics. "When I initially started my hobby, making up songs, I looked at people like Hank Williams Sr., Bob Dylan and Roger Miller. Those were the guys I was shooting for. I wanted to write songs of that kind of quality. I'm still not there.
"Once you repeatedly play a lick on the guitar that isn't quite right, it becomes your style," Prine said with a laugh. "And that's what happened to me."
Prine's fans may adamantly disagree. Prine has been in the business for more than 30 years and has 15-plus albums under his belt. And he has a fan base that is as dedicated as he is. "What I do is make music that I can listen to with repeated listenings and not get tired of. I choose the songs for an album much like how I choose songs for my set lists. If I have two ballads and one is a sad one, I look for a happy song to balance it out. I try to make the album fit together."
Thus the new album's title, "Fair and Square."
As for the live show, Prine said he has a formula he follows. And within that formula there is a lot of space to improvise. "I know the songs I want to end the set with. Those songs are tried and true and people want to hear them. I also know what songs that I'll begin the show with. However, in between is the space where I can have some fun. I mix things up and it makes it fresh and fun for the musicians and for the audience."
Within the past 10 years, Prine has dealt with all types of setbacks and life-affirming challenges. He's battled cancer and became a father for the first time. "I didn't know how much a child would change my life, but it sure changes a lot of things in your life."
Professionally, Prine said the challenges are more mental than anything else. "There are times when you look around and say, 'What am I doing here?' With what I do for a living, I have to keep interested. If it ever drops, then everything will go with it. It's not like you're going to be able to take the summer off. You're in this for good. This is what you do for a living."
There are times when the creativity will go, he said. "And when that does, the music you are playing and have written in the past is going to have to carry you over to the next phase of your creativity. I found, however, if you do what I do long enough, there are always songs that will help you through the hard times.
"To tell you the truth, however, I didn't expect the longevity. I didn't think I'd be singing 'Your Flag Decal Won't Get You in Heaven Anymore.'"
Prine has some projects on the back burner that he'd like to see happen. "I've been tossing around the idea of a gospel album," he said with a chuckle. "It would have to be the type of gospel album that you could listen to late at night with a beer in your hand. I also want to do a bluegrass album.
"So those things come out every now and then."
If you go . . .
What: John Prine
Where: Abravanel Hall, 123 N. West Temple
When: Sunday, 8 p.m.
How much: $45.50 and $47.50
Phone: 355-2787 or 888-451-2787
Web: www.arttix.org
E-mail: scott@desnews.com