John Prine

A broken arm prevented John Prine from playing last year, his slot being taken by Loudon Wainwright III. Fingers crossed that that luck's changed and that he will make it across the pond because, like last year, there will be people who will consider the ticket price worthwhile for his set and anything else as a bonus.

John Prine is considered by many to be a songwriters songwriter. It's a description that sells him short. It implies that his songs aren't easily accessable to the unwashed masses, that you somehow need to be on a higher plane to get him. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Quite simply, John Prine has the touch. His songs appeal regardless of the issue. I've laughed at some of his comic touches, issues songs get you outraged and indignent and his emotive stuff goes straight for the heart.

He's an old friend of the festival and never disappoints. John Prine may be advancing in years right now, but his prowess as a musician just keeps on rising. If you want to hear what folk with an American twang sounds like, here's an original.