John Prine’s ‘Fair & Square’ Coming To Deluxe Vinyl Reissue This Fall

John Prine’s Grammy-winning Fair & Square has not seen a vinyl pressing in 16 years. Fortunately for long-time fans, the 2005 studio album will get a deluxe vinyl reissue this fall, with standard black and opaque green options available, as well as a special limited amount of “Irish Edition” (green and orange with embossed lettering on a matte jacket). The three double vinyls, pressed at Third Man Records’ pressing plant in Detroit, arrive October 1 via Oh Boy Records.

Upon its release, Fair & Square earned Prine a golden gramophone for Best Contemporary Folk Album, beating out Bruce Springsteen, Nickel Creek, Rodney Crowell, and Ry Cooder, at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards. As his first record in nine years at that point, the long-awaited follow-up to Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings in 1995, Fair & Square resulted in the quickest rising No. 1 on Americana radio in history.

Around the vinyl reissue, the Prine family is set to host “You Got Gold: Celebrating the Life & Songs of John Prine,” a series of concerts around various venues in Nashville, on October 3-10. Tribute shows are also slated that week at the Ryman Auditorium (October 6 and 7), the CMA Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum (October 8), and the Basement East (October 9). More events will be announced at a later date. All proceeds will benefit The Hello In There Foundation.

Oh Boy Records are also set to issue a second tribute album, titled Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine, Vol. 2—featuring Sturgill Simpson’s version of “Paradise” and Brandi Carlile covering Prine’s last song ever “I Remember Everything,” on October 8. New songs and artists are expected to be revealed leading up to the release.

John Prine passed away last spring due to Covid-19 complications. He was 73.