About
John Prine Night is an annual gathering at The French Co. Grocer in Marathon, TX to celebrate the life, music, and spirit of John Prine. Hosted by Sam Stavinoha, the owner and proprietor of the store, and emceed by artist, writer, and musician M. Walker, it happens each October on the weekend nearest Prine's birthday — and it has never been skipped.
This event is not affiliated with the Prine family, although we'd more than welcome them all any time. It's a free event, no tickets needed. If you haven't yet, please consider donating to the Prine family's foundation, The Hello In There Foundation.
Want to perform?
Each year we welcome performers to join in and pick and sing their favorite John Prine songs through the dinner and into the night. And each and every year our performers blow us away with their talent and charm. If you want to come play, we welcome you.
Of course, we can't have six versions of Angel From Montgomery no matter how badly everyone wants to play it — so there's a sign up, and it's first come, first served. You may not get the exact song you wanted. But there's never been a better time to dig into the catalogue and learn something new.
Sam Stavinoha
Sam Stavinoha and M. Walker began their creative endeavors together in the four confining walls of the Texas State University robotics laboratory in San Marcos, TX. It was there, under the tutelage of Dr. Heping Chen, that they dreamed up a 30 page scavenger hunt that would be entirely done on bicycles. They printed flyers, took to the message boards, and the teams assembled themselves for an absolute chaotic sprawling mess unleashed in the dive bars and grocery stores of San Marcos. At the after party, the fabled Green Mountain Grass played bluegrass into the night as hundreds of tired and happy scavengers ate brisket and danced and took outdoor showers at their leisure. As the years have gone by, their shenanigans have expanded to new absurd horizons, such as mad-dash naked canoe races on various Texas rivers (catch me if you can Comal County sheriff's dept.), welding giant 20-person steel slurping bowls for chili cooking competitions, and the annual John Prine Night.
M. Walker
Artist, writer, and musician M. Walker emcees John Prine Night and creates the annual posters. He works under the name sleepyburrito.
Who makes it happen
Sound, every single year: Matt and Nick Lochman — the Lochman Brothers. Seven years of hauling in the PA, running the board, and keeping the mics hot from the first song to the last. None of this works without them.
Emcee: M. Walker, who also draws the posters and has played Summer's End at every night he's taken the stage.
Photographs by: Joe Grist, Keirstin, Kelsey Picolo, Shelby Loveland, Travis Perkins .
The store
All of it happens in the backyard of The French Co. Grocer, the only grocery store in Marathon, Texas.