Johnny Prill - Award Winning - Grammy-nominated Songwriter

Johnny and Patricia with their grandchildren
Family has always been at the heart of Johnny’s songwriting.

About Johnny Prill

A Nationally Recognized Songwriter
Johnny Prill is a Grammy‑nominated songwriter whose music has touched families, schools, churches, and communities across the world. He is best known as the creator of “A Song for Grandma and Grandpa,” the official song of National Grandparents Day, as declared by the National Grandparents Day Council of Chula Vista, California. The Council also honored him with the National Songwriter’s Award for capturing the love between grandparents and grandchildren in a way that has become timeless.

Praise from Leaders and Legendary Artists
Johnny’s work has earned admiration from national figures and celebrated entertainers. United States Senator Debbie Stabenow called his official Grandparents Day song “a special tribute to your talent as a songwriter,” while American folk icon Pete Seeger wished that it would “spread around the world and be translated into many languages.” The Polish Prince Bobby Vinton described Prill as “one of the most creative songwriters of our time,” recording several of Johnny’s compositions throughout his career.

A Career Connected to America’s Musical Icons
Throughout the decades, Prill’s songwriting has brought him into collaboration with some of America’s most beloved entertainers. Frankie Yankovic, America’s Polka King, inspired Prill’s early work and later appeared on his patriotic recording America, This Song’s For You. Johnny’s music has been recorded or performed by artists including Jimmy Sturr, Mollie B, Bobby Vinton, and others who recognized the heart and craftsmanship in his writing.

A Diverse and Heartfelt Catalog
Johnny’s body of work spans children’s music, patriotic tributes, polka favorites, and faith‑inspired songs. Career highlights include:

Polka Radio and A Birthday Wish (1987), later recorded by Bobby Vinton
America, This Song’s For You (1991), featuring top polka artists
The Polka Beat (2004), praised by the Las Vegas Weekly and featured in the Detroit Free Press
I Saw America Today (2012), honored by U.S. Senator Carl Levin and Michigan Senator Mike Green
Santa’s Little Dears (2013), performed by Mollie B on her national Christmas special
Jesus Loves Children (2019), a heartfelt reminder of the value of every child
Hawaiian Shirts & Hula Skirts (2022), a joyful tropical album
Loveable, Huggable Papa the Bear (2023), celebrating the grandparent–grandchild bond

A Legacy That Reaches Around the World
Today, Johnny’s music continues to inspire families across the globe. His songs have been requested in countries including India, Israel, Canada, Australia, Ukraine, and New Zealand, proving that love, family, and faith are universal languages.

Awards & Honors
Official Grandparents Day Song Award • National Songwriters Award • Grammy Nomination Certificate

In 2004, the National Grandparents Day Council of Chula Vista, California announced A Song for Grandma and Grandpa by Johnny Prill would be the official song of the United States National Grandparents Day holiday.

Prill also received the National Songwriter's Award from the National Grandparents Day Council in honor of his composition A Song for Grandma and Grandpa. The song was chosen because Grandparents Day gives grandchildren across the nation the opportunity to show love and appreciation for their grandparents. Johnny Prill's A Song for Grandma and Grandpa is exemplary of such appreciation.

Grammy Certificate - for Prill's "Polish Prince" song that was recorded by Grammy Award winner Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra.

Photos With Notable Artists
Johnny Prill and Bobby Vinton • Jimmy Sturr and Johnny Prill • Johnny Prill and Mollie B

"Johnny Prill is one of the most creative songwriters of our time. His warmth and understanding blends itself into his lyrics and music. It's a pleasure to know Johnny as a friend and an equal pleasure to record his songs." The Polish Prince Bobby Vinton

In 2011, Prill's "Polish Prince" song was recorded by Grammy Award winner Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra. Prill's song, based on the 1978 autobiography "The Polish Prince - Bobby Vinton," was included on Sturr's Grammy-nominated "Not Just Another Polka" CD.

In 2013, Johnny Prill's Christmas song "Santa's Little Dears," was performed by Mollie B (host of the Mollie B Polka Party on RFD-TV) and included in her Christmas Special. The show was recorded live at the RFD-TV Theater in Branson, MO.

Messages, Reviews & Personal Endorsements
Pete Seeger Quote • Five‑Star Review in Las Vegas Weekly • Bobby Vinton Quote

American folk singer Pete Seeger's quote about Johnny Prill's National Grandparents Day song - A Song for Grandma and Grandpa - "Here's to Johnny Prill and his song for National Grandparents Day. May his song spread around the world and be translated into many languages.

Johnny Prill received a 5-star review in the Las Vegas Weekly for his song titled Las Vegas Polka. Martin Stein stated, "Has there ever been a sad polka? With all that bouncing and accordion-playing, I think not. So why did it take so long for someone to write a polka song about the happiest place on earth--Las Vegas? Even though the singer can only stay one night, his love for our “pretty neon lights” shines through. And how can you not love a song with the chorus, “Las Vegas, you’re the greatest, and I’ll miss you when I go”? Truly the best polka song about our town ever recorded."

The Polish Prince Bobby Vinton's quote about Johnny Prill's songwriting - "Johnny Prill is one of the most creative songwriters of our time. His warmth and understanding blends itself into his lyrics and music. It's a pleasure to know Johnny as a friend and an equal pleasure to record his songs."

Johnny Prill is a Grammy‑nominated songwriter and author best known as the creator of “A Song for Grandma and Grandpa,” the official anthem of National Grandparents Day. His music has been featured in major publications and praised by Bobby Vinton as “one of the most creative songwriters of our time.”