Steve Earle Biography
Birth Name: Stephen Fain Earle
Born: 1955/01/17
Birth Place: Schertz, Texas
Died: NULL
Years Active: NULL
Genres: Country, Rock And Roll, Folk
Born: 1955/01/17
Birth Place: Schertz, Texas
Died: NULL
Years Active: NULL
Genres: Country, Rock And Roll, Folk
Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle (born January 17, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and country music as well as his political views. He is also a published writer, a political activist, an actor, playwright and director.
Earle's early work as a recorded performer was in the rockabilly style, and can be heard on the “Early Tracks” album. “Early Tracks” was recorded for Epic Records, but the company dropped Earle, only releasing the album in 1987 after he found success with MCA Nashville. Earle had to wait until 1986 before his first album, “Guitar Town,” was released by MCA. It was a critical success and was eventually certified gold by the RIAA.
The follow-up albums “Exit 0” in 1987 and the certified-gold “Copperhead Road,” 1988, built on this success. With “Copperhead Road,” Earle moved to MCA Los Angeles and drew increasingly on rock influences.
Earle had been a recreational drug user since an early age and was addicted to heroin for many years. By the time of his 1990 album The Hard Way, it started to become clear that the drugs were seriously affecting him. By 1992, his drug problems resulted in him effectively stopping performing and recording for two years, a period he refers to as his "vacation in the ghetto." He eventually ended up in jail on drug and firearms charges. Kicking the drug habit while in jail, Earle came out a new man and released two albums within 18 months of his release in late 1994. His comeback album, the “Train A Comin' ,” was nominated for the Best Contemporary Folk Album Grammy Award in 1996. “Train A Comin'” was a return to the country blues-influenced folk of Earle's early career and drew on his older catalogue of unrecorded material.
Earle is the subject of the documentary film “Just an American Boy,” directed by Amos Poe, which explores his political views as well as his music. The film was shot while Earle was touring in support of his 2002 release “Jerusalem.”
In September 2007, Earle released his twelfth studio album, “Washington Square Serenade,” on New West Records. The album features wife Allison Moorer on "Days Aren't Long Enough". The album includes Earle's version of Tom Waits' song "Way Down in the Hole" which is featured as the theme song for the fifth season of “The Wire” in which Earle himself appears in as his character Walon.
On May 12, 2009, Earle released a tribute album, “Townes,” on New West Records. The album contains 15 songs written by his late friend and musical mentor Townes Van Zandt. Guest artists appearing on the album include Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, Earle's wife Allison Moorer, and his son Justin Townes Earle.
Earle's early work as a recorded performer was in the rockabilly style, and can be heard on the “Early Tracks” album. “Early Tracks” was recorded for Epic Records, but the company dropped Earle, only releasing the album in 1987 after he found success with MCA Nashville. Earle had to wait until 1986 before his first album, “Guitar Town,” was released by MCA. It was a critical success and was eventually certified gold by the RIAA.
The follow-up albums “Exit 0” in 1987 and the certified-gold “Copperhead Road,” 1988, built on this success. With “Copperhead Road,” Earle moved to MCA Los Angeles and drew increasingly on rock influences.
Earle had been a recreational drug user since an early age and was addicted to heroin for many years. By the time of his 1990 album The Hard Way, it started to become clear that the drugs were seriously affecting him. By 1992, his drug problems resulted in him effectively stopping performing and recording for two years, a period he refers to as his "vacation in the ghetto." He eventually ended up in jail on drug and firearms charges. Kicking the drug habit while in jail, Earle came out a new man and released two albums within 18 months of his release in late 1994. His comeback album, the “Train A Comin' ,” was nominated for the Best Contemporary Folk Album Grammy Award in 1996. “Train A Comin'” was a return to the country blues-influenced folk of Earle's early career and drew on his older catalogue of unrecorded material.
Earle is the subject of the documentary film “Just an American Boy,” directed by Amos Poe, which explores his political views as well as his music. The film was shot while Earle was touring in support of his 2002 release “Jerusalem.”
In September 2007, Earle released his twelfth studio album, “Washington Square Serenade,” on New West Records. The album features wife Allison Moorer on "Days Aren't Long Enough". The album includes Earle's version of Tom Waits' song "Way Down in the Hole" which is featured as the theme song for the fifth season of “The Wire” in which Earle himself appears in as his character Walon.
On May 12, 2009, Earle released a tribute album, “Townes,” on New West Records. The album contains 15 songs written by his late friend and musical mentor Townes Van Zandt. Guest artists appearing on the album include Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, Earle's wife Allison Moorer, and his son Justin Townes Earle.
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