Guitar Town’: Steve Earle’s Hard-Earned Debut

Statement
By the time Steve Earle reached Guitar Town, he had travelled far. It
was his debut album, but the Virginian country-rock troubadour was
already 31 when it was released, and had been treading the boards
around Nashville for a dozen years.

Even then, the album took seven months to make its Billboard chart
debut, but when it did on October 25, 1986, it of cially launched one of
the most notable careers of any Americana artist. Earle had even
appeared in the much-underrated and recommended Nashville
documentary Heartworn Highways when he was a mere 20-year-old,
alongside such emerging gureheads as Townes Van Zandt, Guy
Clark, and Rodney Crowell.

His rst EP was released in 1982, as he began to be noticed around

Music Row as a songwriter, covered by Johnny Lee and, in a personal
landmark, Carl Perkins. After the false start of a deal with CBS, Earle
found himself among supporters and kindred spirits at MCA. Guitar
Town was written primarily by the singer-guitarist, with input from Tony
Brown, Richard Bennett, and Jimbeau Hinson. Word soon spread
about its refreshingly “real” sound, which embraced country’s roots
and gave them an authentic rock edge.

The title song became a Top 10 country hit, while the album itself
topped the country listings and made No.89 in a solid 20-week run. It
went gold for 500,000 US sales in 1999, by which time Earle was a
seasoned survivor who continues his proli c career to this day. 2017
saw the admirable So You Wannabe An Outlaw and in the autumn of
2018, Earle’s extensive North American tour had him on the road well
into the new year.

Listen to the Outlaw And Disorder: Country Rebels playlist, featuring

Steve Earle and dozens of other fearless mavericks.
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March 2019 brought Guy, his tribute album to one of his enduring
heroes, Guy Clark. Then the spring of 2020 heralded Steve’s 20th
studio release, Ghosts of West Virginia, praised by AllMusic as “some
of the most eloquent music he’s written in two decades.”

Story continues

His early 2021 set J.T. created a powerful memorial to Steve’s oldest
son Justin Townes Earle, who sadly died the previous summer at the
age of just 38. In 2022, another nod to Earle’s musical make-up
arrived in Jerry Jeff, featuring the songs of inspirational outlaw
troubadour Jerry Jeff Walker.

Buy or stream the deluxe edition of Guitar Town.

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