I teach middle school. And of course they are idiots in many ways, but no more or less than we were.
I’m 77 and know the name John Prine but I would not have been able to recall any songs. Looking at his hits it seems “Illegal Smile” is what I recall.
Here are some others…
I used* to watch the Celebrity Apprentice and they had Lil’ Jon as a great player on the show and also one of the winners, Trace Adkins.
I liked both of them on the show well enough, but had never heard of them in my life and also have never heard much of them since the show.
*Wife and I both regret ever watching anything with Trump.
FTR I know Brooks, Yearwood, but not Chesney. I’m not a country listener though.
I know Prine well and would be surprised that people gathering to play bluegrass would notLike @veryfrank I know him first from Cowboy Junkies and also Bonnie Raitt then from there in his own right. But there a few people listed in this thread I don’t know; I guess we all have gaps.
Years ago I worked with a few people that didn’t know Led Zeppelin or Stairway to Heaven. Maybe they would have recognized it if I played it.
Faith Hill and Tim McGraw?
I put John Prine in the same category as Ry Cooder. Very talented musicians known more by other musicians than fans.
Exactly. And we are idiots (collectively.)
I’m sure that was the couple.
I dunno. I think JP has FAR more name recognition that RC. I was pretty crazy into music when in college, and think I had a grand total of one RC album. Tho, of course, I knew he played with everybody. Pretty confidant most of the respondents to this thread could recite any number of lines from JP lyrics, but how many even know RC wrote Little Sister?
Just thought of another. When my wife was in violin making school about 10 years ago, she took cello lessons from a cellist who was a pro performer/teacher, plays regularly in the puts of musicals. When my wife made an offhand reference to Pink Floyd, he claimed to have never heard of them (let alone, which one’s Pink), or Dark Side of the Moon, OR seen the DSOTM cover art.
I really find that one hard to believe from a guy who is currently somewhere between 60-75.
In case this was aimed at me, this quartet plays classical music. 2 violins, viola, and string bass (instead of cello). I play bluegrass and oldtime in various other groups, and my wife and I have modestly exposed the 2d fiddle and violist to some VERY traditional fiddle tunes.
But among professional musicians, Cooder is well known/revered. I’ve been to a few concerts of varying genres, where Cooder music played before the show.
Not aimed; I just didn’t read your OP carefully. I know you play bluegrass and assumed that was what you guys were gathered to do.
I even know that The Great Kamala’s real name was James Harris.
There was a magazine that had Kamala with Hulk Hogan’s head on a spear on the cover. He started in Memphis, worked mostly in the South for a while, and moved to WWF. I’ve seen John Prine live a couple of times, and play a few of his songs. When it comes to popular culture music, pro wrestling, and baseball are my strengths.
The Elvis Presley song? I think not.
The weird part is Kamala the wrestler died the same week Biden announced Kamala Harris was his Vice President pick.
There can be only one.
Quite possibly so. But not in my corner of the universe 
. I have/had a couple of Ry Cooder albums (I’m partial to the live Show Time) and have been well aware of his session and soundtrack work for decades (have/had a number of other albums he played on). But John Prine who?
Just goes to show it is easy to miss even substantial names. Art knowledge is pretty idiosyncratic.
On a podcast an older guy had never heard of Pancho Villa before and he lived in Arizona.
You are rright, man. Stupid me, allowing my thoughts to be reworked by one album I owned a long time ago. Embarrassment.
Didn’t mean “aim” like I took any offense. Shoulda said directed.
No disagreement here.
Well, you probably wouldn’t know Ry Cooder if you’re a Pinkerton Man.
Snake Plissken. Most people think he’s dead.