John Prine

 John Prine's concerts, even the ones in big old theaters, feel like a Saturday afternoon pit stop at a buddy's house — by rights, you ought to be holding a six-pack of Milwaukee's Best and a freshly burned gift CD when you hit the door. Prine won a Grammy for the songwriting on his last album, Fair and Square (who knew he was a "Contemporary Folk" artist?), but it's his onstage conversations that really put butts in seats. Whether he's talking about Sabu the Elephant Boy, the missteps in Jesus' life, parables from his late friend Steve Goodman, or the adventures of Safety Joe (his most recent everyman), Prine's at his best just telling tales.