There’s been a John Prine-sized hole in the hearts of songwriters everywhere since 2020, but each year after the mailman-turned-songsmith’s death, music lovers have come together to celebrate his memory. In Gulfport last April—where the family has kept a home since 2005—John’s wife Fiona joined the town in kicking off three days of tribute concerts that not only brought together Prine’s biggest fans, but raised money for The Hello In There Foundation. Under the guidance of Gail Gilchrist, the shows went to St. Pete and Safety Harbor, then poured proceeds back into the community. It’s heartwarming to see people coalesce in such big numbers to celebrate the warmth and kindness baked into the Prine catalog—but even better watching homegrown talent like Kaleigh Baker, Patrick Hagerman and Joshua Reilly breathe new life into the tunes, too. thehellointherefoundation.org—Ray Roa
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This article appears in Best of The Bay 2024.
