Tommy Prine, May 2

Friday, May 2, 5 p.m.

Raccoon Motel, 315 East Second Street, Davenport IA

Touring in support of his 2023 album debut This Far South, and the youngest son of legendary folk musician John Prine, Tommy Prine performs a special early-evening concert event at Davenport's Raccoon Motel on May 2, Americana UK raving that with his first full-length recordinmg, "Prine has channeled loss, grief, and even humor into a collection of compelling songs that are smartly written and beautiful, both musically and lyrically."

As stated at AllMusic.com, "The youngest of John Prine's three children, Tommy was born on October 4, 1995, and grew up with his parents in Nashville, Tennessee. His mother, Fiona Whelan, was also involved in music, working as John's manager. Tommy started playing guitar when he was ten, and learned the finer points of finger-picking from his dad. As a teenager, his favorite artists included the Avett Brothers, Trampled by Turtles, and John Mayer; Jason Isbell's album Southeastern inspired him to try writing songs of his own. Tommy got his first stage experience while touring with his father; he ran the merchandise table at John's shows and would sometimes accompany his dad for encores.

"After writing his first song, 'Something Like an Angel,' John encouraged Tommy to keep honing his craft, but after finishing high school, he focused on academics, attending Belmont University in Nashville. Tommy wrote songs in his spare time while working at local clubs and the Country Music Hall of Fame's gift shop, and John brought him along when he played the 30A Songwriters Festival in Walton County, Florida, hoping to encourage him. However, it was the passing of his father in April 2020 due to complications from the COVID-19 virus that encouraged Tommy to take his music to a professional level.

"Two of Tommy's friends, songwriter and vocalist Ruston Kelly and producer and engineer Gena Johnson, heard him sing his song 'This Far South' at an informal guitar pull and liked it enough that they helped set up a demo session for him. Tommy enjoyed the process, and Kelly and Johnson were excited about the results. Tommy finally decided it was time to follow his dream, and after cutting his teeth playing low-key gigs, Kelly and Johnson took Tommy back to the studio to begin work on his debut album. Nameless Knight Records (distributed by Thirty Tigers) released the LP This Far South in June 2023."

Tommy Pine performs his Davenport engagement on May 2 with an additional set by Mommy Planet, and the 5 p.m. show is followed by a 7 p.m. concert featuring headliners Magic Rockers of Texas and guest musician J. Graves. Admission to Prine's concert event is $26.45, and more information and tickets are available by visiting TheRaccoonMotel.com.