John Prine with Levon Helm

John Prine is a songwriting legend from the suburbs of Chicago, a star of counter-culture country and Americana music. He began his more than 40-year-long career meagerly in the 1960s, singing at open mic night evenings at his favorite local bar. Prine released his debut album in 1971 and has achieved much success since then, including a Billboard Top 100 hit for the 1975 album Common Sense and a two Grammy Award wins: for his 1991 release, The Missing Years, and his most recent album, Fair and Square, released in 2006. He also received a Grammy nomination for 1999’s In Spite of Ourselves. Some of John Prine’s most memorable songs include “Illegal Smile,” “Dear Abby,” “Christmas in Prison,” and “Safety Joe.”

Levon Helm is a rock musician and actor hailing from Marvell, Arkansas. Helm is best known as the drummer and vocalist for the group The Band. Helm is known for his fierce drumming and country-style and soulful voice. Helm created the album Dirt Farmer in 2007, which landed him a Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album in 2008. Helm recently announced that a new album would surface in June 2009.

Website: http://www.johnprine.net