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Steve Earle has announced a new album of covers of songs written by his son, the late Justin Townes Earle who died last month at the age of 38. Steve Earle and the Dukes plan to record the album next month, with a release scheduled for January 2021 to coincide with what would have been Justin’s 39th birthday. Continue reading “Steve Earle to cover son Justin’s songs on new album”
Justin Townes Earle’s death at the age of 38 on 23rd August was announced on his social media without any confirmation of the cause of death. There has been considerable interest in the mainstream media with speculation that his was a drug-related death, due to his well-publicised struggles with alcohol and chemical dependencies. It will be another tragedy if he is largely remembered for his addictions and early death given the quality of his songwriting and music that will be his true legacy. Continue reading “The Song Remains: Justin Townes Earle 1982 – 2020”
Some very sad news to wake up to on a Monday morning – Justin Townes Earle, americana singer-songwriter and son of Steve, has died at the age of 38. On a post on his Instagram page, it states: “It is with tremendous sadness that we inform you of the passing of our son, husband, father and friend Justin. So many of you have relied on his music and lyrics over the years and we hope that his music will continue to guide you on your journeys.” Continue reading “Justin Townes Earle dies at 38”
When you are the firstborn of one of americana’s iconic roots musicians AND given the name of one of the great songwriters of his era, it’s kinda preordained that you will end up in this business, one way or another. Justin Townes Earle – JTE – son of Steve, named after dad’s idol, Townes Van Zandt, has carved himself a piece of americana that was perhaps unlikely given the number of chairs thrown in his path in the shape of addictions in his early years. Continue reading “AmericanA to Z: Justin Townes Earle”
We leave you this weekend dearest of readers with news that Justin Townes Earle has announced news of a new album – due out May 25th on the New West label, ‘The Saint of Lost Causes’ sees Earle reunite with his erstwhile producer Adam Bednarik in Nashville following his sojourn to Omaha for 2017’s ‘Kids in the Street’ record which he recorded with Bright Eyes’ Mike Mogis (which coincidentally used to be the name of my rabbit – Bright Eyes that is, not Mike Mogis). Continue reading “Justin Townes Earle announces new record, due May – Listen”
Oh crikey, this is looking like it’s going to be an event and a half. What’s probably turning into the UK’s biggest americana and country music festival has just announced some more names to its line-up for this year, and some of them are huge, including: sister trio The Staves who toured with First Aid Kit last year; Country Music Hall of Fame inductee and global legend Kris Kristofferson who’ll be playing with the late Merle Haggard’s band The Strangers; and erstwhile New Pornographer Neko Case. You can see the new full line-up below, with more names to be announced. Continue reading “Black Deer adds Case, Kristofferson and Earle (Justin Townes) to 2019 line-up”
For his eighth album Justin Townes Earle has adopted some different approaches. It’s the first time he has worked with a producer (Mike Mogis -Bright Eyes and First Aid Kit) and the first album he’s recorded out with Nashville, travelling to Omaha, Nebraska to lay it down. On a more personal level Earle says, “Life has changed a lot for me in the last few years. I got married and am ready to become a father and this is the first record I’ve written since I got married… When I wrote songs in the past, I was looking in on what I was feeling but this record’s about looking outward on what’s happening.” One or all of these circumstances have certainly worked as Kids In The Street is as good as any of his previous releases but also its perhaps his most consistently entertaining disc. Continue reading “Justin Townes Earle “Kids In The Street” (New West Records, 2017)”
Just a handful mind you but if you’re in or about Bristol, York or London then you’re in luck (as you are if you have tickets to the Maverick Festival in July). Earle is set to release his New West Records debut “Kids in The Street” on 26th May which we posted the first video for yesterday. The 12-song set was produced by Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes, First Aid Kit) at his ARC Studios, and is the first time in his career that Earle has worked with an outside producer. Here are those dates, and keep an eye out for a review of the new record soon on AUK. Continue reading “Justin Townes Earle announces UK dates”
Rolling Stone have posted another track from Justin Townes Earle’s forthcoming album “Kids in the Street” which they describe as “a pedal-to-the-metal Memphis boogie… a return to form – with a twist. “Faded Valentine” conjures up Earle’s earlier days, when he’d slow down the cadence and let his rasp get soft and sticky in a relaxed country waltz or honky-tonk shuffle. But it’s also a little more lush instrumentally, thanks to production from Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes, M. Ward), who invited Earle to his Omaha studio to make the LP. It’s the first time Earle has worked with an outside producer, and Mogis made sure to never trade spontaneity for polish.” Listen to the song below.
And you can listen to the track “Champagne Corolla” from the new record below. Rolling Stone reports: “Justin Townes Earle – despite a name that evokes both father Steve and his dad’s mentor, Townes Van Zandt – has always had a knack for forging a strong and unusual relationship between roots music’s past and its newest arbiters. He made songs about wandering the Lower East Side of Manhattan feel natural against his sledgehammer strums and the beat of an upright bass, and despite his taste for everything that rested outside of country’s borders – Memphis soul, swing, blues and rockabilly – he’d never ventured beyond his native Tennessee to record an album or work with an outside producer. Continue reading “New Justin Townes Earle Due May”