Steve Earle: A Growing Cowboy

After reading about the multidimensional Dwight Yoakam, I wanted to pick a similar artist. Not so much similair musically, but as a person - someone who was constantly broadening their horizons and artistically challenging themselves to create something extraordinary. I chose Steve Earle, who thrusted himself into the musical world in the early 70s by writing songs for other musicians in Nashville. At first he seemed like a sort of "son-of-a-gun" country man who was fearless. As his career progressed however, he turned into a mature singer songwriter whose songs came straight from the heart.

Growing up in Texas, Earle had an early fixation with the singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt. At the age of just 14, he was reportedly following Townes all around Texas, hoping to meet and possibly even collaborate with his idol. At the time, Earle was too young to play his music in bars, so he began hopping around the coffeehouse scene playing gigs whenever he could. Townes was in the same circuit, and the two eventually met and had a strong connection. They would go on to form a lifelong bond and friendship. with Townes being the mentor Earle always wanted. It was at this point that Earle decided to move to Nashville and take a shot at his own music career, right around 1974.

Earle enjoyed some critical success once he broke out of just ghost writing. He released two albums, Guitar Town and Copperhead Road that solidified him as a popular fixture in the country world. After his bout with success however, he became highly addicted to drugs, especially heroin.  This caused a huge demise in production and he was eventually dropped from his label.  With the help of close friends, and Townes Van Zandt, he was able to fight the addiction and work towards sobriety.

He has gone on to release several works of both fiction and non-fiction, and has had two important roles on HBO shows The Wire, and Treme. Earle continues to make records, but his approach has been simplified and his sound has been condensed to a more traditional folk sound.  He has an important place in country music as an artist who has consistently risen above adversity and stayed true to himself along the way.