The Midnight Special, October 10, 2026

By Marilyn Rea Beyer |

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Playlist

  1. Lead Belly: Midnight Special (Trad.); Lead Belly; Midnight Special; RCA Victor LPV-505
  2. Bonnie Raitt: Angel From Montgomery (Prine); Bonnie Raitt; Streetlights; Warner Brothers BS2818
  3. John Prine & Iris DeMent: “We’re Not the Jet Set” (Bobby Braddock); John Prine & Iris DeMent; In Spite of Ourselves; Oh Boy OBR-019CD
  4. Naomi Ashley: All the Best (Prine); Naomi Ashley; The Postman Delivers: Chicago Musicians’ Tribute to John Prine; Lost in America Music 3.5.2010
  5. Nanci Griffith: Speed of the Sound of Loneliness (Prine); Nanci Griffith; Other Voices, Other Rooms; Elektra 9 61464-2
  6. John Prine & Kelsey Waldon: Love at the Five & Dime (Griffith); John Prine & Kelsey Waldon; More Than a Whisper: Celebrating the Music of Nanci Griffith; Rounder 1166101791
  7. The Empty Pockets: I Never Get Sick of You; The Empty Pockets; Dear Billionaires; theemptypockets.bandcamp.com 10.23.2026
  8. Steve Goodman: Blue Umbrella (Prine); Steve Goodman; Jessie’s Jig & Other Favorites; Asylum/Red Pajamas 7ES 1037/RPJ 010CD
  9. Bonnie Koloc: Clocks & Spoons (Prine); Bonnie Koloc; Timeless, Disc 1; Bonnie Koloc Bonnie Koloc 001
  10. Carrie Rodriguez & Ben Kyle: Unwed Fathers (Prine); Carrie Rodriguez & Ben Kyle; We Still Love Our Country; Ninth Street Opus 84501 45987
  11. Joan Baez: Hello In There (Prine); Joan Baez; The Complete A&M Recordings, disc 3; A&M/Chronicles B0000828-02 1
  12. Lonesome Standard Time: Grandpa Was a Carpenter (Prine); Lonesome Standard Time; Lonesome As It Gets; Sugar Hill SHCD-3839
  13. Josh Ritter: Daddy’s Little Pumpkin (Prine/McLaughlin); Josh Ritter; Live at the Record Exchange EP; V2 63881-27361-2
  14. RubyJoyful: How My Li’l Punk Girl Fell in Love With John Prine; RubyJoyful; The Pie Chart of Love; rubyjoyfulband.com 1 95261 29451 9
  15. Suzie Brown: Long Monday (Prine); Suzie Brown; Heartstrings; Freshie Records 84501 51890
  16. Jonas Friddle: “The Midnight Special – fretless banjo”; Jonas Friddle; Midnight Special Collection; Midnight Special Collection JFriddle | MS008
  17. Rhiannon Giddens & Francesco Turrisi: Brown Baby (Brown); Rhiannon Giddens & Francesco Turrisi; There Is No Other; Nonesuch 591336-2
  18. Oscar Brown, Jr.: Dat Dere (Timmons/Brown); Oscar Brown, Jr.; Sin & Soul; Columbia CS8377
  19. Terry Callier: Work Song (O. Brown, Jr.); Terry Callier; Live at Mother Blues; 6691-7 6691-7
  20. Oscar Brown, Jr.: World of Grey; Oscar Brown, Jr.; Sin & Soul … and then some; Columbia CK 64994
  21. Will Kaufman: Kaufman on Prine; Will Kaufman; Interview – American Song & Struggle: WWII to MAGA; WFMT 10.8.2026
  22. John Prine: Illegal Smile; John Prine; John Prine; Atlantic 19156-2
  23. Steve Goodman: How Much Tequila Did I Drink Last Night? (Goodman/Prine); Steve Goodman; Affordable Art; Omnivore Records OVCD-337
  24. John Prine: Ain’t Hurtin’ Nobody; John Prine; Found Dogs (rare and unreleased tracks); Oh Boy Records OBR-098LP
  25. Kim Richey: Goodbye Ohio; Kim Richey; Every New Beginning; Yep Roc YEP-3092
  26. Jason Benefield: Chicago Song; Jason Benefield; single; jasonbenefield.bandcamp.com 10.30.2020
  27. Jerry Downs: “Bear Down, Chicago Bears”; Chicago Sym Cho & Orch/Sir Georg Solti; Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique; Overture Les francs-juges; Decca 4833094
  28. Bill Miller: “My People”; Bill Miller; The Red Road; Warner Western 9 45324-2
  29. Elexa Dawson: Where Have All the Flowers Gone?; Elexa Dawson; Stay Put; Turns Out 1 99508 50729 3
  30. Martha Redbone Roots Project: A Dream, ft. David Amram and Lonnie Harrington; Martha Redbone Roots Project; The Garden of Love: Songs of William Blake; Blackfeet Productions 93001
  31. Colby Maddox: “The Midnight Special – fiddle”; Colby Maddox; Midnight Special Collection; Midnight Special Collection CMaddox/MS 009
  32. Bonnie Koloc & Don Stille: Sabu Visits the Twin Cities Alone (Prine) edit; Bonnie Koloc & Don Stille; Folkstage: Bonnie Koloc & Don Stille, Disc 2 (2006); WFMT 03-18-06 2
  33. David Olney: “Barrymore Remembers”; David Olney feat. John Prine; Real Lies; Real Lies | Philo CD PH 1204
  34. Tim Grimm: Sam Stone (Prine); Tim Grimm; Names; Wind River WR4032CD
  35. John Prine: Lake Marie; John Prine; Found Dogs (rare and unreleased tracks); Oh Boy Records OBR-098LP
  36. Joel Simpson: Summers End (Prine/McLaughlin); Joel Simpson; single; Randomosity 2023single
  37. Tommy Prine: Boyhood; Tommy Prine; This Far South; Thirty Tigers NK72189CD
  38. Maura O’Connell: Sleepy Eyed Boy (Prine); Maura O’Connell; Walls & Windows; Sugar Hill sug 3937
  39. Mother Banjo (Ellen Stanley): Morning Train (Prine/McLaughlin); Mother Banjo (Ellen Stanley); Morning Train (Prine/McLaughlin) – single; https://motherbanjo.bandcamp.com/ 10.7.2022
  40. The Everly Brothers: Paradise (Prine); The Everly Brothers; Pass the Chicken and Listen; RCA Victor LSP-4781
  41. Mary Gauthier: Gone; Mary Gauthier; Reckoning; Soundly Records Thirty Tigers 9.25.2026
  42. John McCutcheon: “The Night John Prine Died”; John McCutcheon; Cabin Fever; Cabin Fever | folkmusic.com Appalsongs B08C24B3Q6
  43. Jeffrey Foucault: He Was in Heaven Before He Died (Prine); Jeffrey Foucault; Shoot the Moon Straight Between the Eyes – Songs of John Prine; Signature Sounds SIG 2018
  44. Steve Goodman & John Prine: “Souvenirs”; Steve Goodman & John Prine; Affordable Art; Affordable Art | Omnivore Recordings OVCD-337
  45. Laura Love: I Still Believe (Unplugged); Laura Love; She Loved Red; Laura Love 88295 68276
  46. Andrew Beyer: “The Midnight Special – cigar box slide”; Andrew Beyer; Midnight Special Collection; Midnight Special Collection AABeyer/MS 004