A park in Muhlenberg County was dedicated to and renamed in honor of Kentucky singer-songwriter John Prine. Furthermore, Muhlenberg County will celebrate every October, Prine’s birth month, as John Prine Month.
“We will continue to honor him fondly and proudly. Therefore, I hereby declare the month of October as John Prine Month from the year 2022, and every year forward,” Curtis McGehee, Judge-Executive of Muhlenberg County, announced at the dedication.
Prine died on Apr. 7, 2020, due to complications from COVID-19.
The dedication of John Prine National Park was witnessed by a gathering of family and fans at Rochester Dam. Many were from Kentucky, but some came from as far as San Francisco and Seattle.
One of Prine’s signature songs, “Paradise,” is named after his parent’s hometown of Paradise in Muhlenberg County. The song also namedrops locations familiar to Muhlenberg citizens, including Rochester Dam, where the park is located, and the nearby Green River.
Park renovations were carried out by volunteers and the Muhlenberg County Tourism Commission, according to Jennifer Brown of the Hoptown Chronicle. Renovations included the construction of a new pavilion and the installation of new picnic tables. The commission also plans to install a viewing deck and a new boat ramp. Highlandbrook Nursery in Elkton also donated 18 Chinkapin oak trees to plant in the park – one for each of Prine’s studio albums.
Prine’s wife, Fionna Whelan-Prine, delivered a speech at the park’s dedication. “I met John more than 30 years ago and within the first 12 hours of knowing him, I knew all about this place, honestly,” Whelan-Prine said. “Muhlenberg County, Paradise, Rochester Dam, the cousins, the relatives in Kentucky. It was one of the big connections that he and I had together.”
The dedication was concluded with rendition of “Paradise,” sung by the audience.
“He’s one of those guys, it wasn’t the voice. It wasn’t pristine,” Hopkinsville resident and John Prine fan Danny Clampet, 69, told the Hoptown Chronicle. “But what he wrote was both humorous and tragic. He covered all the emotions. I think he was a special human being. You never heard anyone say anything negative about him ”
The Prine family will continue to collaborate with Muhlenberg County leaders regarding the park’s oversight and growth.
