Does this count?   In 1975 I heard a folk duo, Tom and Theresa, in Corvallis, OR, sing the song "Paradise," which I later learned was by John Prine.
Sometime around that time -- can't recall whether it was a bit earlier or a bit later -- I was at a song circle or such and (talk about mondegreens!) someone said referred (I thought) to the song "Flying to Cal" (which I took to mean "California").   You can prob'ly figure out which John Prine they actually named (and sang).
It was years before I actually heard John Prine himself -- on Austin City Limits, for one place. I've never had the privilege of hearing him live.