When local musician Jim Rosenberg asked longtime pal Paul Logan to join him in the John Prine tribute duo Diamonds In The Rough, Rosenberg was surprised to learn that Logan was completely unaware of Prine’s music, aside from “Angel From Montgomery”—and that was because Bonnie Raitt covered it.
It didn’t matter. When the two got together to work out some Prine songs—Rosenberg on guitar, Logan on bass, both on vocals—it just worked. Logan quickly came to understand why Rosenberg was so obsessed with Prine’s subtle American storytelling style.
“He’s really come to embrace him,” Rosenberg says. “And that’s the power of the songs. They’re just so good.”
Appreciation for Prine has grown. His last album, 2018’s The Tree of Forgiveness, is one of his most successful albums to date. But his public profile has never risen above cult status.
“John Prine has always been one of my favorites. I know every John Prine song there possibly is. The songs are so good that hopefully, if you reach the right people, there are enough John Prine fans out there. It’s just getting them to come out of the woodwork,” Rosenberg says. “This is not like an AC/DC tribute band or a Neil Young tribute band or a Pink Floyd tribute band. It’s definitely obscure.”
7:30pm. Wednesday, Nov. 27. Michael’s On Main, 2591 Main St., Soquel. $10. 479-9777.
