Justin Townes Earle’s recording career began with the release of Yuma, a short collection of songs that showcased his extraordinary guitar style as well as his skill for crafting songs that sound both fresh and timeless. His subsequent albums, 2008’s The Good Life and Midnight At The Movies in 2009, saw him filling out his sound with the addition of some excellent musicians. Then last year he released Harlem River Blues, an album of rebirth and redemption, which is, appropriately, proving to be a break-through record for him. He’s also appeared on HBO’s Treme, alongside his father who had given a stunning performance on the makers’ previous series, The Wire.

The JTE I met before the show was friendly, laid-back and modest. He told me he was raised by his mother (who he later described onstage as being able to ‘kick the ass of any man in this room’) and began sneaking out ‘earlier than [he] should’ve’ to play music. He had taught himself enough guitar to get out and play in the bars of Nashville. It was ‘trial by fire’ but it worked, his powerful two-finger-picking style developed along the way together with enough charisma to make Charlie ‘high, wide and handsome’ Poole blush.  

Abiding by the dictum that you’ve got to write about what you know, Earle’s songs are deeply honest and deceptively simple snapshots from a life lived on the road, chronicling cycles of love, infidelity and break-ups. He has delved deep into the history of folk, blues and country, exploring the connections between the songs to give them strong roots. With each new record he has made great strides, so I asked him what was next. “I’ll be going in a soul direction for the new record,’ he said. ‘I’ve come to the same conclusion that Gram Parsons did, which is that country music and soul are basically the same thing.’

Photo by Joshua Black Wilkins

He explained that he was thinking of settling down but he’s not ready yet.  A few days before he made a ‘split-second decision’ to move to London so he could ‘travel round Europe for a year.’ Later that evening, he admitted another reason for moving– ‘She kicked me out.’

By the time he came onstage, Earle had transformed. Immaculate in a 50s quiff, workshirt and stiff jeans, he gave a performance unlike anything I had ever seen. Bear in mind we were in the Union Chapel, where Townes Van Zandt, whose name is tattooed across Earle’s chest, gave a legendary performance in April 1994.  Although Earle did not play any of Van Zandt’s compositions, his cover of Bruce Springstein’s ‘Racing In The Streets’ owed a great deal to Townes’ arrangement, as did Earle’s version of Lightnin’ Hopkins’ ‘Bad Gasoline’, which he introduced with reference to Van Zandt:

‘Ladies and gentlemen, the late great Townes Van Zandt once said that you can’t do a set without doing a blues. I agree. He also said there’s only two types of music, the blues and zipideedoodah. One of those statements is a waste of breath. I’ll let you choose.’

Photo by Viktor Bambi Westerberg

Earle’s entire being was moved by the music coming from him. Between the songs he revealed an entertaining and genuine persona, telling the stories behind his songs and talking in a frank and funny way about his weakness for cocaine, vodka (for breakfast), young ladies and fried chicken. After a ‘large misunderstanding’ last year ‘which unfortunately ended up with me incarcerated,’ Earle told us he was sticking to Red Bull for this tour. Still, someone in the audience was unconvinced that Earle’s chemical dependency was behind him.  

‘Learn a lesson Justin!’ came a voice from behind me.

‘I never learn a damn thing darlin’, that’s the problem.’

‘Learn your lesson’ she insisted.

‘No,’ he drawled, ‘that’s no fun.’ Then he picked the first few notes of ‘Slippin’ and Slidin’ and looked straight at her. ‘Everything deserves a second chance.’

I was so enthralled I couldn’t stop writing down everything he was doing, saying, and how he looked. One moment he seemed like a Southern gentleman, nodding to the front row as he sang, the next he was possessed with the fierce intensity that befits a man who has made more trips to jail and tattoo parlours than most people have made to the doctor’s for a check-up.

Sitting in the front row, I began to have visions that I was watching Earle in a dusty, whisky soaked honky-tonk one hundred years ago. He’d certainly fit in, as would his songs. Finally, I arrived at a kind of conclusion: Justin Townes Earle is a total performer. See him for yourself, you won’t regret it. 

Hear more from Justin Townes Earle and check his UK tour dates at justintownesearle.com