I'm always looking for short, concise ways to describe John Prine's music

Here's yet another attempt to capture in a short paragraph the Magic of John Prine - maybe it can serve to introduce a new person to him, as we prepare for the Tribute show this Friday.

Born in 1946 in a town not that far from the Windy City, young Mr. Prine discovered his love for songwriting and the guitar at the tender age of 14. His debut, eponymous release reflected lessons learned performing on stages with Chicago folk singer Steve Goodman. //// The album offered wall-to-wall genius in songs such as "Sam Stone," "Illegal Smile," "Hello in There," "Paradise" and "Angel From Montgomery." //// Nothing much has changed since then as Mr. Prine has consistently churned out memorable lines using a technique of honoring clichés with his tongue slipping off his cheek. //// During the '90s while writing what may have been his best song in two decades, "In Spite of Ourselves," John battled cancer, won a Grammy Award and Artist of the Year at the Americana Music Awards. //// He's amazing with a full band and out of this world as a solo performer. Don't miss your audience with John Prine!