A sad new category for “Listening In” – artists lost to COVID-19. John Prine was an American treasure having written and recorded hundreds of songs over a 50-year career, including the classic “Angel from Montgomery.”

Prine, who died on April 7, wrote the song in 1971 and it was recorded by both Carly Simon and John Denver before its definitive version was delivered by Bonnie Raitt in 1974.

Considered a songwriter’s songwriter and dubbed “the Mark Twain of American song writing” by Rolling Stone magazine in 2017, the raspy-voiced singer was said to have been discovered by Kris Kristofferson and was championed early on by Bob Dylan. Over the years, dozens of artists covered – and had hits – with his Americana (country-folk)-flavoured tunes, which were known for their vivid story-telling and indelible characters (such as “Pancho and Lefty”).

Prine won two Grammys during his career (1992 and 2006) and was given a Grammy lifetime achievement award last year. In 2019 he was also inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.

Here is a version of “Angel” performed late last year with Raitt.