Call him an American treasure. Call him a great storyteller. Call him a fantastic singer-songwriter. Ah hell, call him all of the above. The dedicated throng who descended upon Ruth Eckerd Hall on Friday night to listen to the legendary John Prine sure think of him in those terms. And judging from the outstanding performance he treated them to, he certainly deserves every single one of those accolades.

An absolutely memorable night began with a brief, engaging set from alt-country singer-violinist Amanda Shires. Dressed in a sparkly gold mini-dress and short boots, the petite Shires won the audience over quickly with her endearing banter and her angelic vocals. Accompanied only by her spouse, renowned singer-songwriter Jason Isbell (a headliner in his own right), Shires and Isbell forged impeccable harmonies together while delivering some of Amanda's fine material from her own recorded catalog. Isbell's completely unexpected presence was certainly a welcomed and unexpected treat. Utilizing only Isbell's acoustic guitar and Shires's fiddle, the pair showed off their individual talents and were well received enough to command a standing ovation and an encore. "I've played a lot of shows where people wanted to hear one last song," Shires joked before picking up her instrument again. A frenzied response came when Shires name-checked local venue Skipper's Smokehouse and community radio station WMNF. The woman knows how to work a room.

The mostly white-haired crowd was surely geared and primed for the main act following the stunning opener. Country-folk legend John Prine, now 69 and sporting a spiky head of white hair himself, took the stage in a dapper suit and tie accompanied by his three-piece band. It didn't take long to get things off to a rousing start. Opening with "Glory of True Love," a standout track from his highly acclaimed 2005 album Fair & Square, Prine let the music do the talking for him. Alluding to the fact that he gets nervous before performing, Prine promised more conversation later: "I'll talk more when I get un-nervous," he commented before launching into more of his own brand of clever, comical and sometimes whimsical songs.

"It's great to be in my second home!" Prine announced. The part-time Gulfport resident drew wild cheers for the nod to the area. And then, in an instant, had the bulk of the near-sell out crowd singing along loudly to another one of his classics, "Spanish Pipedream" off his superb 1971 debut.

Prine chose his words wisely and pleased the audience equally with his songs and banter as the night progressed. "We take this one out of the mothballs every time a presidential election comes around," Prine announced as he and his guitarist, mandolinist and upright bassist delivered a terrific version of the topical and still relevant "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven," which drew some of the most spirited cheers and applause of the night.

Working his way through a bevy of songs that undoubtedly evoked memories and personal experiences for most of those in attendance who've no doubt followed the acclaimed songwriter for most of his long and storied career, both Prine and his fine band seemed to gain steam and really click as the night progressed. A personal highlight came when they took a short break and left Prine to man the show on his own. His distinctive gravelly voice propped against the sound of a single acoustic guitar was downright transcendent during his reading of "Illegal Smile." As a cancer survivor, Prine's recorded output and touring schedule has been sporadic of late; but hearing him revisit so many of his fantastic compositions and do so in such bare bones style was really a revelation. Often compared to Bob Dylan and so many other great similar songwriters, Prine really is one of a kind.

Rejoined for his solo set by Shires and Isbell, both admittedly huge John Prine fans themselves, the three sounded completely natural and tuned-in together. A perfect rendition of "In Spite Of Ourselves" found Shire and Prine trading off verses, and was worth the price of admission alone. But the vocal dynamics between Prine and Isbell during "Storm Windows" was the topper. Isbell's sweet, plaintive voice sounded rich and full and pleasantly complemented Prine's gruff but emotive vocal quality.

Prine seemed transformed and lost in the music as he laid down some uncharacteristic cha-cha steps during a fiery version of "Lake Marie." He seemed to be as moved by the sounds as the 1,800 in attendance were.

Prine's two-hour performance seemed to fly by in an instant. There are not many artists who can hold a crowd rapt solidly for such a long period of time. A night of reminiscing, sing-alongs, and gathering with old friends is always a special occasion but having a living legend like John Prine leading the festivities is a memory that his fans will likely treasure forever.

Set List:
Glory of True Love
Long Monday
Taking A Walk
Spanish Pipedream
Picture Show
Humidity Built The Snowman
Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven
Six O'Clock News
Souvenirs
Grandpa Was A Carpenter
Hello In There
Please Don't Bury Me
Fish and Whistle
Bruised Orange (Chain of Sorrow)
Angel From Montgomery
Illegal Smile
All The Best
In Spite of Ourselves
Unwed Fathers
Storm Windows
Sam Stone
Bear Creek Blues
Lake Marie
Encore:
Paradise