The singer and wife of actor Tom Hanks saw "generosity of spirit" in Prine, who was known as the Mark Twain of American songwriting.
A two-time cancer survivor, Prine lost his battle with COVID-19 on April 7.
“John Prine invited me to perform at his ‘All the Best Fest’ last November. He and Fiona Prine put on an incredible festival filled with insanely great musicians and so much love from John’s loyal and devoted fans,” Wilson recalled on Instagram.
John Prine’s Two-Time Cancer Journey
He underwent surgery in January of 1998 to remove the tumor, followed by six weeks of radiation therapy. Doctors initially sought to shield Prine’s vocal chords from the radiation, but Prine would have none of it — his focus was on beating the cancer rather than preserving his voice.
“It’s been almost a year since the surgery and radiation and I’m feelin’ great,” Prine wrote to his fans. “I’m looking forward to getting back on the road and singing my songs. Hopefully, my neck is looking forward to its job of holding my head up above my shoulders.”
In November 2013, Prine announced that he had an operable form of lung cancer, “non-small cell carcinoma.” His Nashville-based doctors caught it early: “They see no reason why I won’t fully recover,” he said.
Prine also underscored that the new diagnosis was unrelated to the cancer he’d beaten in 1997, when doctors discovered the growth on his neck.
A year ago, in a display of his trademark kindness and humility, Prine posted a touching message to fellow cancer survivor Alex Trebek: “Sorry to hear you are going through this Alex,” he wrote on Instagram.
“As a two-time cancer survivor, I want you to know that I’m rootin’ for you. I watch Jeopardy twice a day and I look forward to seeing you on there for many years to come. Against all odds, you’re the big door prize. Your friend ( in Jeopardy) John Prine.”
After lung cancer surgery, Prine worked with a trainer to restore his lung capacity so he could return to performing. “Luckily, I had a friend who was a trainer,” he told Terry Gross on NPR’s Fresh Air. “When I told him I had to get the surgery, he volunteered to come to our house and help me get back in shape to get on the road. He had me running up and down our staircase three times.
Then he’d put a guitar around my neck, and I’d sing three songs without taking a breath,” Prine explained. “And this was all after losing half a lung. And that – I didn’t know I could train like that. My wife didn’t, either, because I hadn’t previously put that much into training before.”
Prine continued to perform, playing Bonaroo in 2019 and attending the Grammys in January, where Bonnie Raitt, who turned “Angel From Montgomery” into a hit, honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award in songwriting.
Constance Costas is a writer for SurvivorNet.