Roger Waters Remembers John Prine With Acoustic 'Paradise' Cover
remembered with an acoustic rendition of the late singer-songwriter’s “Paradise.” “My friend John Prine died. This is his song, ‘Paradise,’” Waters wrote in the caption of the YouTube video. “Miss you, brother.”
After a weeklong hospitalization, Prine died Tuesday at the age of 73 from complications related to COVID-19. In the days after the legendary songwriter’s death, many of the artists that Prine influenced — like Natalie Maines, Jeff Tweedy, Brandi Carlile, Eric Church and My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, who performed “Hello in There” with Waters at the 2015 Newport Folk Festival — have recorded new renditions of some of Prine’s essential songs.
Following news of Prine’s hospitalization due to the coronavirus, Waters posted a video message March 29th where he hoped for his friend’s recovery.
“This good friend of ours is full of love, and always has been his whole life, and love is a powerful drug, so we’re all desperately hoping he’s gonna beat this COVID-fucking-19 virus and pull through,” Waters said. “So fight Prine, you’re a fucking fighter, and I know you’ll fight this.”
John Prine lives in all our hearts. pic.twitter.com/bgn9IeaxPS
— Roger Waters (@rogerwaters) March 30, 2020
In 2017, Roger Waters appeared alongside Prine at the Newport Folk Festival, with the singers performing Prine’s classic “Hello in There.”