With a name that includes two legendary Texas singer-songwriters, Justin Townes Earle has quite a legacy to live up to. Not that the 25-year-old hasn’t already reflected on it. “I spent a lot of years trying to write the great American folk song, and I think that was me trying to live up to my name. That’s just ridiculous. If I spent my life trying to live up to Townes Van Zandt or my father [Steve], I’d have a really miserable life.”
Earle’s set to release his full-length debut, The Good Life, March 25 on Bloodshot. While it echoes his namesakes, it’s obvious, in terms of songwriting, he’s his own man.
“I’m a good ol’ boy from Nashville, Tennessee, and my music is kind of the way it comes out of me,” he explains. “The only designs I had on this record was to make sure it wasn’t a strict hillbilly, country, blues, or singer-songwriter record. I did not want anybody to pigeon hole me. It’s more of an exploration of Southern music and I hope that’s something my records will always be. I’m really proud of Southern music and I think that people kind of forget that this is where it all started.”
It’s only ten songs but Earle’s succeeded with the range of styles. While there’s nothing new musically on The Good Life, it’s packed with well-written stories and songs that reflect where he’s been and the traditions of the deep South. Given his background it’s no surprise he claims he’s been writing songs from the age of 14. What’s unusual is that some survive to this day and even made it onto The Good Life.
“‘Four,’ ‘Hard Living,’ ‘Aint Glad I’m Leaving,’ ‘Far Away In Another Town’ and ‘Turn Out My Lights’ were songs I wrote when I was 16 or 17,” Earle relates. “They were supposed to be on a record I was supposed to make when I was 18, one that ended up not happening because I was a mess, basically.” Then he adds with a chuckle, “I was my father’s son.”
“When I got sober, I came back to town and I did this freak thing; I wanted a rock band,” he continues. “But it turned out to be a really bad idea. I have other songs, rock songs, out there. Those take a lot to write. But I don’t think it’s my voice. It’s not the way I was intended to do things.”
Earle plays Bloodshot Records’ showcase Saturday, March 15, 10pm.
This article appears in February 29 • 2008.