What do you think of Steve Earle?

[LastMohican]

One of my many musical therapies is, after a long, trying day at work, to blast out of the parking lot with Steve's "Harlan Man" (recorded with Del McCoury) fired up on the stereo.

This ALWAYS serves as a potent "mood lifter"!

[Ed Goist]

LastMohican, I've been doing the exact same thing with Copperhead Road for over 20 years!..."Mood lifter" indeed!

[j-hill]

I would guess that a lot of people were brought into the Bluegrass fold when Steve Earle teamed up with the Del McCoury Band. That was a great CD. I'm not sure what caused that relationship to go south but it was a wonderful combination for that CD.

[LastMohican]

LastMohican, I've been doing the exact same thing with Copperhead Road for over 20 years!..."Mood lifter" indeed!

My bother has a band here in Louisville, "Fish that Kill", primarily an R&R cover band; and they are considering working up Copperhead Road over the summer with my playing the mando part.

[Jim Broyles]

I first heard of him with his decent (#28 peak) country hit, "Someday." I loved that song and a couple others on the Guitar Town album. Didn't care for "Copperhead Road," or much else, other than some of the Mountain stuff. Earle is one of those guys I would tell, "Shut up and sing." I would not classify him as a bluegrass writer.

[SincereCorgi]

I would guess that a lot of people were brought into the Bluegrass fold when Steve Earle teamed up with the Del McCoury Band. That was a great CD. I'm not sure what caused that relationship to go south but it was a wonderful combination for that CD.

Was there a falling-out? That's too bad, I'd love another record... it's easily my favorite Del McCoury record.

I first heard of Steve Earl from a line in a Stephin Merritt song: "Acoustic Guitar, do you think I play hard? Well you coulda belonged to Steve Earl..."

[Mandomax]

Steve goes into detail in his autobiography, "Hardcore Troubador." Steve's take on the falling out was that Del was getting mifffed that he (Steve) was getting all the PR. Things came to a head at Merlefest, when Steve got to play on the main stage and Del & the boys only got to play on one of the side stages. According to Steve, Del threatened to quit the rest of the entire tour if he didn't get the same amount of stage time with his band as Steve. According to Del, Steve's constant use of vulgarity on stage was the driver for the split. Probably a little from column a, a little from column B, imo.

[GTison]

I don't listen to him. That's what I think of him. I don't consider him a bluegrass artist but rather someone who does a little bluegrass with his show. But what do I know I don't listen right? I have heard some of his stuff w/ the Del Mc Band it was good.

As to the deal between he and Del Mc, I believe there was an interview in Bluegrass Unlimited where Del said his fans came to the concerts because of Del. And when they got there they were offended by Earle's cursing etc. on stage. That embarrassed Del. This would be counter productive to Del's interest in maintaining his fan base.

As to the side stage at MerleFest, sounds like Del was good enough to be on some recordings and give Steve Earle a new market to work in ( "bluegrass" ) but then when it came time to do a show the show didn't want Del. Amazing? Bluegrass is just to constricting.

[Buddah]

I first heard of him with his decent (#28 peak) country hit, "Someday." I loved that song and a couple others on the Guitar Town album. Didn't care for "Copperhead Road," or much else, other than some of the Mountain stuff. Earle is one of those guys I would tell, "Shut up and sing." I would not classify him as a bluegrass writer.

I certainly wouldn't classify him as a "bluegrass writer" either; to the extent that he's classifiable, I'd place him in the "Hardcore Folk/Americana/Rock & Roll Acoustica category. That said, when he decides to write a bluegrass type of tune, he comes up with some of the most compelling, melodic and flat-out interesting stuff out there (IMHO).

[LastMohican]

Steve goes into detail in his autobiography, "Hardcore Troubador." Steve's take on the falling out was that Del was getting mifffed that he (Steve) was getting all the PR. Things came to a head at Merlefest, when Steve got to play on the main stage and Del & the boys only got to play on one of the side stages. According to Steve, Del threatened to quit the rest of the entire tour if he didn't get the same amount of stage time with his band as Steve. According to Del, Steve's constant use of vulgarity on stage was the driver for the split. Probably a little from column a, a little from column B, imo.

I gotta tell you; as much as I like some of Steve's stuff, I'd been disappointed, too.

I'd be thinking, "Isn't there any place that we can go to get away from this?" If my son (who loves Bluegrass) was there with me; I'd go from being disappointed to being angry. Don't get me wrong; I realize my only "remedy" would be to just leave. It is a "free country", after all, and vulgarity (for the most part) is still protected speech.

[Buddah]

I'll admit to being somewhat bemused by the frequent references to Steve's live-show vulgarity. I've seen him a bunch of times (including several different venues while he was touring with Del McCoury) and haven't found him to be over the top at all. Of course, people have different levels of tolerance for that sort of thing...perhaps I'm to some degree desensitized to it?
What he most certainly is is outspoken in his political views, which tend towards the left end of the spectrum (to put it mildly). Again, I'm not put off by this in the least, but can easily understand how others might be. 'Course, it helps to be a Birkenstock-wearing, tree-hugging, pot-smoking peace-nik!

[Jim Broyles]

I certainly wouldn't classify him as a "bluegrass writer" either; to the extent that he's classifiable, I'd place him in the "Hardcore Folk/Americana/Rock & Roll Acoustica category. That said, when he decides to write a bluegrass type of tune, he comes up with some of the most compelling, melodic and flat-out interesting stuff out there (IMHO).

This is why I used that term. From the first page of this thread:

IMHO he's the best bluegrass songwriter to have come along who's lyrical focus has a deep, thoughtful undercurrent that is political, controversial and thought provoking.

[Buddah]

This is why I used that term. From the first page of this thread:

Thanks Jim...without proper context, I assumed that you were making a statement (with which I would essentially agree), rather than a response to somebody else's post (a response with which I essentially agree). Can you tell that I tend to "skim" through most posts...?

[swampy]

Loved him. Read his biography, can't listen to him now. Somewhat disappointed in myself for being so judgmental. The upmost respect for him as a songwriter.

Saw Justin Townes the summer before last. Loved him. Great entertainer with a great sound.

[sgarrity]

I think he's one of the best singer-songwriters in the business today. I have pretty much every album he has put out and love the vast majority of it. Anybody that goes to see Steve Earle and doesn't expect a few four letter words obviously hasn't done their homework. That's actually one of the big turn offs to me about bluegrass. Some of the performers and fans are so uptight they should be in church instead of a concert!

[Buddah]

I think he's one of the best singer-songwriters in the business today. I have pretty much every album he has put out and love the vast majority of it. Anybody that goes to see Steve Earle and doesn't expect a few four letter words obviously hasn't done their homework. That's actually one of the big turn offs to me about bluegrass. Some of the performers and fans are so uptight they should be in church instead of a concert!

So well said Shaun...couldn't agree with you more!

[LastMohican]

Some of the performers and fans are so uptight they should be in church instead of a concert!

I'm guessing there's quite a few of us that enjoy both!

[Loretta Callahan]

I've always enjoyed his music, and he's one of my favorite songwriters. He seems like he could be somebody's neighbor, uncle, brother ... just folks. A friend just did a phone interview with him for her radio show here in Portland. I'm very anxious to hear it. Mr. Earle must be on the PR route ... he was on Tavis Smiley a couple weeks ago. I enjoyed his interview and song very much. You might enjoy it too.

http://video.pbs.org/video/1945734115/

[Jim Broyles]

Uptight? Okay, if you say so. If you think it adds to the enjoyment of a live performance to listen to the headliner use profanity, vulgarity and obscenity, go for it. I don't. I'm not a prude and I've used all the words in my life, but I realize that they are not necessary for communication, nor for expressing my opinion. Any fan of old movies knows that they got the idea across without all the language and what is left to the imagination is sufficient to sell the plot. We are who we are 24/7/365; there ought not be a "church" facet and a "world" facet of our personalities. My 2¢ worth.

[Jim MacDaniel]

I'm guessing there's quite a few of us that enjoy both!

I'm with you there - I too enjoy good music and a colorful vocabulary.

[LastMohican]

Uptight? Okay, if you say so. If you think it adds to the enjoyment of a live performance to listen to the headliner use profanity, vulgarity and obscenity, go for it. I don't. I'm not a prude and I've used all the words in my life, but I realize that they are not necessary for communication, nor for expressing my opinion. Any fan of old movies knows that they got the idea across without all the language and what is left to the imagination is sufficient to get the plot. We are who we are 24/7/365; there ought not be a "church" facet and a "world" facet of our personalities. My 2¢ worth.

I think another way to say it is, it's not that I haven't failed in just about every way imaginable (including my use of language) but my failures do not serve an indictment of the "standard".

I'll even be more direct: in a world awash in "indecency"; it's the fundamental "decency" of roots music, particularly Bluegrass, that serves as one of the biggest draws for me. I like it that it's not as loud, as angry, as profane, as the larger world around it. I think, right along with the style of music itself, that this different "culture" is something that guys like McCoury, Skaggs; and even younger guys like Thile, are working hard to preserve and I applaud them for it.

Now I know there are exceptions; bawdy songs and rowdy acts, but I still say that, at it's very core, this music that so many of us love so much is different. It's "heart" is different.

[Fretbear]

Write an entire LP's worth of bluegrass songs approved by Del and Ronny McCoury and then have their band, one of the best working in the bluegrass business, record, release and tour it with you.
Oh, yeah, he already did.......

[SincereCorgi]

I'll even be more direct: in a world awash in "indecency"; it's the fundamental "decency" of roots music, particularly Bluegrass, that serves as one of the biggest draws for me. I like it that it's not as loud, as angry, as profane, as the larger world around it. I think, right along with the style of music itself, that this different "culture" is something that guys like McCoury, Skaggs; and even younger guys like Thile, are working hard to preserve and I applaud them for it.

Now I know there are exceptions; bawdy songs and rowdy acts, but I still say that, at it's very core, this music that so many of us love so much is different. It's "heart" is different.

Uh, you realize that most of the blues and at least half of bluegrass songs are about happy-go-lucky vagrancy and murder?

[Fretbear]

Uh, you realize that most of the blues and at least half of bluegrass songs are about happy-go-lucky vagrancy and murder?

Without question, and not to mention that it's originator, while undoubtedly a good practitioner of gospel music, constantly went from woman to woman (like any good bluesman) and often neglected to pay (or adequately pay) his band, which is a type of theft. While I somewhat get behind this idea of roots and acoustic music's ability to lay claim to a kind of MUSICAL purity, let's keep our feet on the ground about it.

[Ed Goist]

I am neither a Bluegrass practitioner nor a fan. I am a neutral observer, who enjoys some music that is often categorized as Bluegrass (Nolan Faulkner, Marty Stuart & Peter Rowan, for example).

As an observer, it seems to me that many of the discussions here on the Cafe about what "is" or "isn't" Bluegrass often become extremely contentious, and sometimes down-right nasty.

If I were a Bluegrass practitioner nor a fan I'd be very concerned about this. This is the type of thing that can be a real turn-off for someone potentially interested in the music.