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.

1061 comments

  • It was a winter afternoon when my life took a sudden turn. I had been investing in cryptocurrencies for years, dabbling in the world of Bitcoin and Ethereum with hopes of striking it rich. However, all my dreams came crashing down when I fell victim to a phishing scam that left me without my digital assets. Like many others in my situation, I looked wildly online for a solution to my issue. At that point, I came into a website that claimed to be able to assist with recovering bitcoins that had been lost or stolen. I was suspicious at first, but I was desperate for any hope, so I gave it a try. Here comes the hack tech Recovery, a group of professionals with a focus on recovering digital assets. They were able to track down and return my stolen bitcoins thanks to a combination of state-of-the-art technology and years of experience. I felt as though I was seeing magic happen right before my eyes. As I reflect on my experience with the hack tech Recovery, I am in awe of their professionalism and expertise in the field of bitcoin recovery. From the moment I reached out to them, I was met with a sense of dedication and urgency that assured me I was in good hands. The process began with a thorough analysis of the situation, where their team of experts meticulously traced the digital breadcrumbs left by the scammers. Through a combination of data mining and forensic analysis, they were able to pinpoint the exact location of my stolen bitcoins, giving me a sense of hope I had almost given up on. But it was not just their technical prowess that impressed me – it was their unwavering commitment to customer service that truly set them apart. Throughout the recovery process, they kept me informed every step of the way, providing updates and insights that put my mind at ease. It was not long before I received the news I had been waiting for – my stolen bitcoins had been recovered, safe and sound. I could hardly believe it, but there they were, back in my digital wallet where they belonged. It was a moment of pure elation, knowing that I had the hack tech Recovery to thank for making it all possible. As I look back on my experience with hack tech Recovery, I am filled with gratitude for their professionalism and expertise in the field of bitcoin recovery. They not only helped me reclaim what was rightfully mine but also restored my faith in the world of cryptocurrencies. In a world where digital scams and cyber theft are all too common, having a lifeline like thehacktechs Recovery is truly a blessing. Their dedication to customer service and their unparalleled technical skills make them a force to be reckoned with in the world of the hack tech recovery. So if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, faced with the daunting task of recovering lost or stolen bitcoins, remember that there is a lifeline out there waiting to help.the hack tech is more than just a name – they are a testament to professionalism and expertise in the world of bitcoin recovery. Trust in them, and they will work their magic to bring your digital assets back to you. Contact them :::::

    Email :: thehacktechs@gmail.com

    What sapp Info: +1 (283)218 7069

    BUZZ WHITE
  • A few months ago, I invested with a fake crypto broker without proper research to know who and what I was dealing with and they scammed me out of my hard-earned money, I lost access to my crypto wallet and I couldn’t withdraw any of my money, the company went silent on me. After weeks of research, I came across Hackmetrix Cyberservices, a team specialized in recovering lost crypto and other digital assets. I reached out to them with all the information with me and thanks to Hackmetrix, I was able to recover my funds including all my earnings. I’m truly grateful to Hackmetrix Cyberservices and wish to recommend them for services that have to do with the recovery of crypto and other lost digital assets. You can contact them via
    EMAIL:hackmetrix@cyberservices.com
    What’s App: +44 737845 0946

    Rex Stark
  • I fell stupidly for their mischievous act, this made them gain access into my blockchain wallet. 89,000USD Worth of BITCOIN was stolen from my wallet in total. I was in a Dilemma this was all my savings I Invested in bitcoin. Then I made a research online and found a recovery expert, with the contact address ExpressHacker99 @ GMAIL COM.
    I wrote directly to the specialist explaining my loss. He helped me recover my BITCOIN in just 5 days, and the culprits were identified as well, all thanks to his expertise.

    Katalina Marco
  • It was a winter afternoon when my life took a sudden turn. I had been investing in cryptocurrencies for years, dabbling in the world of Bitcoin and Ethereum with hopes of striking it rich. However, all my dreams came crashing down when I fell victim to a phishing scam that left me without my digital assets. Like many others in my situation, I looked wildly online for a solution to my issue. At that point, I came into a website that claimed to be able to assist with recovering bitcoins that had been lost or stolen. I was suspicious at first, but I was desperate for any hope, so I gave it a try. Here comes the hack tech Recovery, a group of professionals with a focus on recovering digital assets. They were able to track down and return my stolen bitcoins thanks to a combination of state-of-the-art technology and years of experience. I felt as though I was seeing magic happen right before my eyes. As I reflect on my experience with the hack tech Recovery, I am in awe of their professionalism and expertise in the field of bitcoin recovery. From the moment I reached out to them, I was met with a sense of dedication and urgency that assured me I was in good hands. The process began with a thorough analysis of the situation, where their team of experts meticulously traced the digital breadcrumbs left by the scammers. Through a combination of data mining and forensic analysis, they were able to pinpoint the exact location of my stolen bitcoins, giving me a sense of hope I had almost given up on. But it was not just their technical prowess that impressed me – it was their unwavering commitment to customer service that truly set them apart. Throughout the recovery process, they kept me informed every step of the way, providing updates and insights that put my mind at ease. It was not long before I received the news I had been waiting for – my stolen bitcoins had been recovered, safe and sound. I could hardly believe it, but there they were, back in my digital wallet where they belonged. It was a moment of pure elation, knowing that I had the hack tech Recovery to thank for making it all possible. As I look back on my experience with hack tech Recovery, I am filled with gratitude for their professionalism and expertise in the field of bitcoin recovery. They not only helped me reclaim what was rightfully mine but also restored my faith in the world of cryptocurrencies. In a world where digital scams and cyber theft are all too common, having a lifeline like thehacktechs Recovery is truly a blessing. Their dedication to customer service and their unparalleled technical skills make them a force to be reckoned with in the world of the hack tech recovery. So if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, faced with the daunting task of recovering lost or stolen bitcoins, remember that there is a lifeline out there waiting to help.the hack tech is more than just a name – they are a testament to professionalism and expertise in the world of bitcoin recovery. Trust in them, and they will work their magic to bring your digital assets back to you. Contact them :::::

    Email :: thehacktechs@gmail.com

    What sapp Info: +1 (283)218 7069

    BUZZ WHITE
  • Have been keen always on investing and have closely followed the developments in cryptocurrency. After selling our business two months ago, my spouse and I decided to put our savings into Bitcoin, believing it to be a lucrative opportunity. Having been retired for a year now, we felt confident that this investment would secure our financial future. Our research and understanding led us to believe that cryptocurrencies were a safe bet. We were enthusiastic about our decision and anticipated significant returns on our investment. One day, while scrolling through Instagram, we came across an advertisement that seemed very convincing. The ad featured professional-looking graphics and testimonials, which gave the impression that the investment platform was both legitimate and promising. Eager to make the most of our investment, we reached out to the contact provided in the ad. The representatives were persuasive, explaining how their platform had exceptional growth potential and how our investment could easily triple in value. Feeling assured and optimistic, my spouse and I decided to invest a substantial amount of $400,000 USD into this platform. Initially, everything seemed to be going well; we received updates and reports about our supposed gains. However, as time passed, we began to notice discrepancies and irregularities that raised concerns. Our attempts to contact the platform’s support team became increasingly difficult, and the reports we received started to seem less reliable. Eventually, we came to the heartbreaking realization that we had fallen victim to a sophisticated scam. The investment platform, which had promised high returns, was nothing more than a cleverly orchestrated fraud. The feeling of being deceived was devastating, and we were left in a precarious financial situation, with the loss of our entire investment. We reached out to an old friend who suggested contacting GHOST CHAMPION RECOVERY HACKERS , a firm specializing in recovering funds lost to scams. Desperate and hopeful, we decided to give them a try. To our immense relief, GHOST CHAMPION RECOVERY HACKERS turned out to be a beacon of hope. They immediately took action, and within a matter of days, they managed to recover the full amount we had lost. Their expertise and efficient handling of our case were truly remarkable. We are incredibly grateful to GHOST CHAMPION RECOVERY HACKERS for their assistance during such a challenging time. Their professional approach and successful recovery of our funds have restored our faith in justice and recovery processes. For anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation, struggling to retrieve money lost to fraudulent schemes, we highly recommend reaching out to GHOST CHAMPION RECOVERY HACKERS . They offer specialized services to help victims like us, and you can contact them through their official website https://t.me/WizardGhosthacker and provided communication channels. our experience has taught us the importance of thorough vetting and caution when investing, especially in high-risk areas like cryptocurrency. Despite the initial setback, GHOST CHAMPION RECOVERY HACKERS intervention proved invaluable, and we are thankful for their support in regaining our lost funds. Email them ghostchampionwizard@gmail.com
    Telegram : https://t.me/WizardGhosthacker

    MARIA REBECA

Leave a comment