Prudence Johnson

 

Prudence Johnson's silky voice has taken her from the Midwest to the Middle East, honky-tonks to Carnegie Hall, theater stages to the silver screen — appearing in Robert Redford's A River Runs Through It and in Robert Altman's A Prairie Home Companion. But be it concert hall or tiny jazz club, Prudence is the perfect complement. As one music critic put it, "[There's] not a genre she hasn't interpreted with her ducky, sensual alto voice and terminally good taste."

So, how does one go from a small town like Moose Lake, MN, to the world stage? Were you raised in a musical family?
My father has a beautiful voice and loves to sing. For decades, he was the go-to guy in our area for weddings and funerals. Singing together was something we always did; until a certain age, I thought all families did. People ask me how to learn to hear harmony parts. Ummm … your dad teaches you when you’re four?
I wouldn’t say I had ambition, so much as a certainty that that’s what I was meant to do, and I just put one foot in front of the other. My family of course thought I was nuts, especially since I was a young mother trying to make a living as a freelance musician. I believe it was my appearances on the Prairie Home show in the early ’80s ( it was nationally broadcast by then) that changed their minds.

'Remember Me' with Prudence & Garrison


You’ve released more than a dozen albums, collaborated on many more, written and performed in plays, performed in several feature films, released several multimedia projects combining music and history. With all the time at home due to the pandemic, are there any new projects on the horizon?
I was very busy during the darkest days of the pandemic working at an independent bookstore (Birchbark Books) in Minneapolis. I love the world of books and got a part-time job there in 2008, mostly to support my book habit. But over the years, my commitment deepened and I took on a lot of duties there while maintaining a schedule creating new shows, recording, and performing. To everyone’s surprise, when we closed our doors to the public in spring 2020, the store got much busier than ever before. So I wasn’t really isolated and I had very little downtime. I left Birchbark in the end of May after 12 1/2 years and had a great summer, and I’m just now really giving some thought to what’s next. I LOVE being in the studio but I realize I don’t recognize the landscape anymore — the business of making and releasing recordings has changed so fundamentally. Working with Garrison and with Robin and Linda, as the next incarnation of the Hopeful Gospel Quartet, is sort of a “new old” project that I’m really looking forward to.

You have performed on A Prairie Home Companion, toured with the show as part of the Rhubarb tour, been featured in the movie, toured with Garrison . . . do you have any favorite memories? 

Oh! so many. I thought of the Beatles standing in the very same spot on the Hollywood Bowl stage. My granddaughter celebrating her ninth birthday with me on the APHC cruise of the Norwegian fjords. (She's a 23 yr old Registered Nurse now and has great memories of that time) Feeling Leonard Bernstein's spirit at Tanglewood. Red Maddock's glorious smile. I could go on and on.

Do you have a favorite guest musician you've had the opportunity to meet or perform with on the show?
Odetta! She looked right into my soul! Billy Collins and I sang a duet or two--Billy if you're reading this, my crush has never faded. Linda Ronstadt saw I was facing a lonely night of room service and tv after the show and whisked me off to dinner with her friends. What a sweetheart. Back before there were actual actors doing the scripts, Garrison wrote a sketch for Leo Kottke, Chet Atkins and me. I'm still amazed when I think about it.
Prudence talks about the Department of Folk Songs, Sings and takes a few more questions

On the show, you took over as host of the Department of Folk Song for a period of time. . . .did you choose all the songs to feature or do you have a favorite song that you discovered as part of the Department of Folk Song?
I did a lot of research, brought home armloads of books from the library. I discovered a lot of songs from different centuries about women in various kinds of distress which led to projects with the MN Sinfonia as well as a production called Fearless and Fallen, with guitarist Dean Magraw and cellist Michelle Kinney.
As we covered in our feature on the Hopeful Gospel Quartet, you stepped in as the fourth voice for the A Prairie Home Companion film directed by Robert Altman.   Any favorite memories you care to share about the making of the film?

It was so much fun being on set of the movie; I pretended to be a smoker so I could bum cigarettes from Kevin Kline and hang out with him. Meryl Streep & Lily Tomlin--truly excellent & sweet human beings. The day I sang in the quartet was totally spontaneous. Jearlyn Steele wasn't able to be on set that day, I was, and they wanted to shoot that song, so I learned it....fast!

We had just been on tour for about 3 weeks; how Garrison, Richie and the whole band and crew slipped right into that movie schedule I don't know--I was exhausted. I was asked to costume myself so I chose a suit I had worn sometimes on the tour. After a few 10 hour days in it, I dearly wished I'd chosen something more comfortable. (ok, not so much a favorite memory as a regret)

'Let Your Light Shine On Me' from the A Prairie Home Companion film >>>

You will be partnering up with Garrison and Robin & Linda Williams and Dan Chouinard for a few Hopeful Gospel Quartet dates as well as performing several shows with Garrison . . . do you have a favorite duet to sing with Garrison?
I do! We sing one lately by Ann Reed called If You Were Mine, and one I hope we revive someday is If I Needed You by Townes Van Zandt. Both are sweet wistful love songs and sort of hypnotic to sing. The four voices together is a whole different thing; it's a powerful sound and it's going to be a lot of fun. And any time I spend making music with Dan is happy time.
'Lullaby for Lesha' from Little Dreamer

Since you are a teacher, any prescient advice for someone who wants to pursue a career in music?

Not all jobs require the integration of physical skills, intellect and the heart--some only require one of those--so it's a rare gift to make one's living doing something so spiritually gratifying. Offer your music with love and it will have an impact, and no matter how you weather the ups and downs of the music "business," it will feed your soul.

As a singer, I think of myself foremost as a storyteller, and I encourage young singers, when they are tempted to get frilly and fancy, to concentrate on telling the story.

'Early' with Prudence & Garrison

How can fans best keep up with your latest projects or where you will be appearing?
I may possibly be the world's worst self-promoter, but I am in the process of designing a new website (the current one has been terribly neglected. If you looked at it, you'd probably think I'd died!) But I do usually post notices of performances on facebook. Check in with prudencejohnson.com in a month or so--I have music and projects I'd love to share with you all.

1353 comments

  • On the internet,I saw a business that guaranteed a significant return on investment.After speaking with them for hours,I was convinced, and two days later, I began making deposits. The offer was so amazing that I chose to make a substantial $980,000 in Bitcoin. After making a sizable profit,I stressed when the withdrawals did not process. Fortunately, a friend had told me about Cyberetrieve and how he had assisted him in getting his money back.I emailed him right away when he gave me his email address,cyberetrieve@mail.com.I sent him the required information after he asked for it.That individual truly astounded me;in no more than 72 hours,he was able to provide me with all the breakdown of my funds,and he was able to get it back. Thanks so much,Cyberetrieve
    Other contact info is:
    Telegaram:@cyberetrieve
    Whatsapp:+1(216)418-7518

    jennifer Johnson
  • I go by Gisela. Here’s my recommendation: I strongly recommend Wizard James Recovery Company to anyone who has fallen victim to a scam and is searching for ways to get their lost assets or Bitcoin wallets back. This licensed cryptocurrency recovery specialist assists victims in getting their lost cryptocurrency back and offers secure methods to keep their wallets safe from online scammers. Before Wizard James Recovery Company was able to retrieve the 11.9BTC that was in my Binance wallet, I must admit that I was completely hopeless and drowning in depression. Anyone who has lost cryptocurrency should speak with an expert about their situation so that their money might be retrieved.
    To learn more, send an email to: wizardjamesrecovery@ usa.com
    Whatsapp: +44 7418 367204

    Gisela Koch
  • Hi everyone, I made a promise to myself that I was going to come back here and testify about the great job of Schwartz Software Hackers Services , schwartzsoftwarehackingprogram at gmail dot com
    did for me with their magnificent hacking skills, they didn’t just get back my scammed money i invested with a fake investment company that was almost $810.000 but to my greatest surprised I got back the money I invested but they also use their sophisticated skills to get even more than the money I invested that was found in the scam wallet during the period of recovery the transfer all the funds back to my wallet which was even more than I expected. If you have been wondering and looking for a way to get back your scammed funds of any kind, I will suggest you quickly get in contact with schwartzsoftwarehackingprogram@gmail.com or you can also get in touch with them through telegram.

    Email: (schwartzsoftwarehackingprogram@gmail.com)

    WhatsApp : +44 77 41 26 48 51

    Telegram : https://t.me/schwartzsoftwarehackers

    Website; https://schwartzsoftwareha.wixsite.com/website

    CORNER STONE
  • In Singapore’s dynamic and fast-paced environment, the allure of the tech startup scene can be irresistible. My journey into the world of cryptocurrency began when a close friend from a burgeoning startup encouraged me to invest in a Stellar. Initially hesitant, I decided to take the plunge with 5,000 SGD, lured by the potential for high returns. Over time, that initial investment flourished, ballooning to an impressive 120,000 SGD. The thrill of witnessing my investment grow was exhilarating, and I felt a sense of pride in my decision to enter the crypto market. However, the euphoria was short-lived. Following a fallout with my friend over a project, I faced an unexpected crisis. She took the drastic step of locking me out of my email account, which not only cut off my communication but also jeopardized my access to essential financial resources. The situation was dire; my investments were tied to that email, and without access, I feared losing everything I had worked so hard to achieve. Desperate to regain control, I reached out to friends within the tech community. Their support was invaluable, and they quickly recommended a specialized service: Malice Cyber Recovery. Known for their expertise in digital recovery, I decided to contact them immediately. The team at Malice Cyber Recovery was highly professional and understanding of my predicament. They guided me through the recovery process step by step, reassuring me that they had the tools and skills to help. Working with Malice Cyber Recovery was a revelation. Their thorough approach and technical knowledge provided me with the confidence I needed during a time of uncertainty. Within a matter of days, they successfully restored my access to my email account. The moment I regained control felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders. I was finally able to secure my investments and put safeguards in place to prevent any future incidents. Reflecting on this experience, I realized the importance of having a solid network and the value of expertise in crisis situations. While my initial foray into cryptocurrency had been thrilling, the fallout reminded me of the vulnerabilities that come with digital investments. In the end, I learned the significance of safeguarding my assets and the importance of resilience in navigating the unpredictable landscape of technology and finance. My investment journey was not just about financial gain but also about the relationships and support systems that emerged along the way. if you find yourself in a similar situation you should contact them VIA

    EMAIL:malicecyyberrecovery@contractor.net

    WHATSAPP:+61 410 262 541

    Adrian Gustav
  • I’m Dolores, a retired real estate developer from Essen, now dedicating my time to running a charity organization supporting underprivileged communities worldwide. In 2017, I started investing in Bitcoin to expand our charity’s outreach. By 2024, my Bitcoin holdings reached nearly $900,000—a life-changing amount for future projects helping those in need.

    Disaster struck during a European trip when my phone, containing access to my Bitcoin wallet, was stolen. Panic set in when I realized I couldn’t access my funds. Despite trying every method, all attempts failed, putting our charitable initiatives at risk.

    After weeks of stress, a fellow investor recommended DIGITAL RESOLUTION SERVICES. Initially skeptical, I trusted them and reached out. Their team was professional, compassionate, and transparent. I appreciated their reassuring approach.

    To my astonishment, within weeks, DIGITAL RESOLUTION SERVICES resolved the issue, returning $900,000 to my hands. I felt immense relief and gratitude, knowing our charity could continue impacting countless lives.

    DIGITAL RESOLUTION SERVICES exceeded expectations, securing our mission’s future. If you face similar challenges, don’t give up. Their expertise, professionalism, and dedication are unmatched.

    CONTACT DIGITAL RESOLUTION SERVICES

    EMAIL: digitalresolutionservices@myself.com
    WHATSAPP: +1 (361) 205-7313

    Sincerely,
    Mrs. Dolores Whorton

    Dolores Whorton

Leave a comment