John Prine 80th Birthday Tribute Booked For October

A major tribute concert celebrating what would have been John Prine’s 80th birthday will take place Oct. 8 at Chicago’s Chicago Theatre, bringing together a wide lineup of artists under the moniker Souvenirs: 80 Years of John Prine.

The event is part of a broader series of commemorations honoring the legacy, one of the most revered songwriters of his generation. It will feature performances of Prine’s songs by artists including Alynda Segarra, Amos Lee, Andrew Sa, Briscoe, the Mekons’ Jon Langford, Josh Ritter, Joy Oladokun, Kathleen Edwards, Margo Price, Noeline Hofmann, Ratboys, Shemekia Copeland, Steve Earle, the Cactus Blossoms and the Sullivan Sisters, all backed by Prine’s longtime band.

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John C. Reilly will host the evening, with additional artists and special guests expected to be announced. It’s being organized in partnership with the Prine family and the Hello in There Foundation, which continues to oversee charitable initiatives established in Prine’s memory. Since its founding in 2021, the foundation has distributed nearly $1.4 million in grants to more than 100 organizations working in areas including food insecurity, housing, mental health, addiction recovery and immigrant and refugee support.

Tickets for Souvenirs: 80 Years of John Prine go on sale Friday (May 15). The Chicago event will serve as the centerpiece of a wider weekend of programming tied to Prine’s catalog, alongside additional tributes and film screenings. A virtual premiere of the 2022 Nashville-shot concert doc You Got Gold: A Celebration of John Prine is also scheduled for May 29–31, featuring a live chat with members of the Prine family.

Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award honoree Prine died in April 2020 at the age of 73 due to complications from COVID-19. After debuting in 1971, he released nearly 20 albums and saw his songs recorded by Johnny Cash, Carly Simon, Bette Midler, Bonnie Raitt, Norah Jones, George Strait and Miranda Lambert, among others.

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