Adeem the Artist Covers John Prine’s “Lake Marie” | CONTRARY WESTERN

Just before soundchecking for their show at the Bluebird Cafe, Adeem the Artist shared a stunning performance of “Lake Marie” and spoke with us about the influence John Prine has had on their songwriting over the years-from the first time they heard a Prine tune while learning to play guitar from some Appalachian pickers at a public library in Central New York to the time they went through Prine’s entire discography and realized he’s “one of the best songwriters” and how “Lake Marie” is a masterclass in songwriting.
“The first time he made me laugh and then cry in a song, I was like, he’s touching at something I’m dancing around, like, we’re playing in the same sandbox,” Adeem said while tracking through the impression Prine has left on their work and the way they similarly are able to reckon with the widest range of emotions in just a handful a few minutes. “He had such a better grasp on a lot than I did-I mean, he was definitely a major instructor of my craft.”
Looking at the ways standup comedy has also informed their craft, Adeem spoke to how humor can be used to process trauma. "When things are really hard you find a way to laugh about it," they said, sharing that comedy plays a large role on stage, from the Bluebird in Nashville to everywhere they’ve toured outside of Tennessee.
Adeem also shared an incredible rendition of “Painkillers & Magic,” which will appear-whole and holy-in a forthcoming Contrary Western session that covers everything from “White Trash Revelry” to the literary influences Adeem has drawn from and the ways in which they’ve reckoned with and realized their story and the stories they share about where they’re from.
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CREDITS
Director of Photography: Noah Cordell
Color and Photography by Emma Delevante
Recorded and Mixed by Luke Wiget
Edited by Sam Farahmand
Directed & Produced by Contrary Western in Nashville, Tennessee

[@lamars2486]

The night Prine was in his final hours, I listened to this song over and over, "Lake Marie," then the news popped up on my screen that he had passed, daylight was just breaking, clouds overhead were quickly clearing, then a little sparrow tweeted by my face as I sat there stunned, I looked up and half assed laffed, and then the bald eagle in my area flew over heading east, I went from a large gut laugh to a an anguished HOLLAR OF ANGUISH. In mere seconds. Then, I could see all my neighbors' bedroom lights popping on. only Prine could make "mystical moments" like that happen. The moment itself was something like some lyrics in one of his songs. Like your music Adeem. ✔️ R.I.P. PRINE.

[@SuperBollus]

As a MASSIVE John Prine fan.....THIS IS THE BEST LONE COVER OF THIS SONG!

[@NobodyIRLFR]

bless the bodhisattvas who help us laugh through horrible times and may they be there when we finally get home.
thank you for sharing, adeem.

[@chrislivinglarge1525]

How tf am I just now finding this channel? Why doesn’t this channel have a million subscribers yet? This is great stuff.

[@Paulalanartist]

Talented my brother! ❤

[@JakeKnobby]

"hummin the 12 bar blues" 💜while im ballin on a wednesday!

[@WhiteDenzel19]

Love this

[@noahcordell6640]

Love it!

[@thegrindstone1806]

Great stuff

[@girl-xf1cu]

This is really good!

[@chriscunningham8453]

So damn good. Thanks Adeem!

[@edrain3262]

Listening to a tribute song by songwriter Dennis Callahan called John Prine.