Career Steve Earle

earle performing in 2007 @ midlands music festival in westmeath, ireland

in 1974 @ age of 19 earle moved nashville, tennessee, , began working blue-collar jobs during day , playing music @ night. during period earle wrote songs , played bass guitar in guy clark s band , on clark s 1975 album old no. 1. earle appeared in 1975 film heartworn highways, documentary on nashville music scene included david allan coe, guy clark, townes van zandt , rodney crowell. earle lived in nashville several years , assumed position of staff songwriter @ publishing company sunbury dunbar. later earle grew tired of nashville , returned texas started band called dukes.

in 1980s earle returned nashville once again , worked songwriter publishers roy dea , pat carter. song co-wrote, when fall in love , recorded johnny lee , made number 14 on country charts in 1982. carl perkins recorded earle s song mustang wine , , 2 of songs recorded zella lehr. later dea , carter created independent record label called lsi , invited earle begin recording own material on label. connie smith recorded earle s composition far cry in 1985 reached minor position on country charts well.

earle released ep called, pink & black, in 1982 featuring dukes. acting earle s manager, john lomax sent ep epic records, , signed earle recording contract in 1983. in 1983 earle signed record deal cbs , recorded neo-rockabilly album .

after losing publishing contract dea , carter, earle met producer tony brown , after severing ties lomax , epic records obtained seven-record deal mca records. earle released first full-length album, guitar town, on mca records in 1986. title track became top ten single in 1986 , song goodbye s ve got left reached top ten in 1987. same year released compilation of earlier recordings entitled, tracks, , album dukes, called exit 0, received critical acclaim blend of country , rock.

earle released copperhead road on uni records in 1989 characterized quixotic project mixed lyrical folk tradition hard rock , eclectic irish influences such pogues, guested on record . album s title track portrays vietnam veteran uses family background in running moonshine become marijuana grower/seller. earle began 3 years in mysterious vaporization according chicago sun-times.

his 1990 album hard way had strong rock sound , followed shoddy live album called shut , die aviator. in august 1991 earle appeared on tv show texas connection looking pale , blown out . in light of earle s increasing drug use mca records did not renew contract , earle didn t record music next 4 years. july 1993 earle reported have regained normal weight , had started write new material. @ time writer chicago sun-times called earle visionary symbol of new traditionalist movement in country music.

in 1994, 2 staff members @ warner/chappell publishing company, , earle s former manager, john dotson, created in-house cd of earle s songs entitled uncut gems , showcased recording artists in nashville. resulted in several of earle s songs being recorded travis tritt, stacy dean campbell , robert earl keen. after recording hiatus, earle released train comin on winter harvest records , nominated grammy award best contemporary folk album in 1996. album characterized return folksy acoustic sound of career.

in 1996 earle formed own record label, e-squared records, , released album, feel alright, combined musical sounds of country, rock , rockabilly. earle released album el corazon (the heart) in 1997 1 reviewer called capstone of [earle s] remarkable comeback .

according earle, wrote song on yonder death row inmate whom exchanged letters before attending execution in 1998. made foray bluegrass influenced music in 1999 when released album, mountain del mccoury band. in 2000, earle recorded album transcendental blues, features song galway girl.

2000 present

earle presented excerpts of poetry , fiction writing @ 2000 new yorker festival. collection of short stories called doghouse roses published in june 2011 , novel, ll never out of world alive published in spring of 2011. earle wrote , produced off-broadway play death of karla faye tucker, first woman executed since death penalty reinstated in texas.

earle performing in front of united states supreme court on july 1, 2003

in 2000s earle s album, jerusalem expressed anti-war, anti-death penalty , other leftist views . album s song john walker s blues , captured american taliban fighter john walker lindh created controversy. earle responded appearing on variety of news , editorial programs , defended song , views on patriotism , terrorism. subsequent tour featured jerusalem album , released live album american boy in 2003.

in 2004, earle released album, revolution starts now, collection of songs influenced iraq war , policies of george w. bush administration , won grammy best contemporary folk album. title song used general motors in tv advertisement. album released during u.s. presidential campaign.

the song revolution starts used in promotional materials michael moore s anti-war documentary film fahrenheit 9/11 , appears on album songs , artists inspired fahrenheit 9/11. year, earle subject of documentary dvd called american boy.

in 2006, earle contributed cover of randy newman s song rednecks tribute album sail away: songs of randy newman. earle hosted radio show on air america august 2004 until june 2007. later began hosting show called hardcore troubadour on outlaw country channel. earle subject of 2 biographies, steve earle: fearless heart, outlaw poet, david mcgee , hardcore troubadour: life , near death of steve earle lauren st john.

steve earle onstage allison moorer @ bumbershoot event in 2007

in september 2007, earle released twelfth studio album, washington square serenade, on new west records. earle recorded album after relocating new york city, , first use of digital audio recording. disc features earle s wife, allison moorer, on days aren t long enough , down here below. album includes earle s version of tom waits song way down in hole theme song fifth season of wire in earle appeared character walon. in 2008, earle produced joan baez s album day after tomorrow. (prior collaboration on day after tomorrow, baez had covered 2 earle songs, christmas in washington , jerusalem, on previous albums; jerusalem had become staple of baez concerts.) in winter, toured europe , north america in support of washington square serenade, performing both solo , disc jockey.

on may 12, 2009, earle released tribute album, townes, on new west records. album contained 15 songs written townes van zandt. guest artists appearing on album included tom morello of rage against machine, moorer, , son justin. album earned earle third grammy award, again best contemporary folk album.

in 2010 earle awarded national coalition abolish death penalty s shining star of abolition award. earle has recorded 2 other anti-death penalty songs: billy austin , , ellis unit 1 1995 film dead man walking.

in 2010–2011, earle appeared in seasons 1 , 2 of hbo show treme harley wyatt, talented street musician mentors character.

earle released first novel , fourteenth studio album, both entitled ll never out of world alive after hank williams song, in spring of 2011. album released on april 26, 2011 , produced t bone burnett , deals questions of mortality more country sound earlier work. during second half of 2011 tour dukes , duchesses , moorer, drum kit adorned slogan 99% reference occupy movement of september 2011.

on february 17, 2015, earle released sixteenth studio album, terraplane.

on september 10, 2015, earle & dukes released new internet single titled mississippi, s time . song s lyrics directed towards state of mississippi , refusal abandon confederate flag , remove state flag. song released sale following day proceeds going towards civil rights organization southern poverty law center.

on june 10, 2016, earle released album of duets shawn colvin, titled colvin , earle, accompanied tour in london , u.s.