Steve Earle

Parish, March 15

Steve Earle plays a solipsistic populist. It’s captured in the songwriter’s eyes as he becomes absorbed in his own guitar strums onstage, lilting side to side, until they flash open behind his glasses with a piercing, joyful glint upon the crowd, grinning as he rallies to lead a chorus. Likewise, his tunes can ring hauntingly personal and defiantly political, a restless, battered truth pervading in his weary smile as his SXSW set shifted from “City of Immigrants” to “My Old Friend the Blues” and a searing “Someday” from his 1986 debut, Guitar Town. “This was the first song I wrote sober, which means it’s 18-and-a-half years old. I know that for a fact,” the survivor offered in introduction to a devastating “Goodbye,” before breaking out a mandolin for “The Galway Girl.” Requests piled up from the audience, but only a mocking “Free Bird” elicited response as Earle turned to flip off the offender and laugh, “There’s your free bird.” Still, no one left dissatisfied, as the Texas-reared troubadour closed with a raucous “Copperhead Road.” Earle proves not only the vitality of a second life, but also a sincere strength to embrace what came before.

This article appears in March 22 • 2013.

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Doug Freeman has been writing for the Austin Chronicle since 2007, covering the arts and music scene in the city. He is originally from Virginia and earned his Masters Degree from the University of Texas. He is also co-editor of The Austin Chronicle Music Anthology, published by UT Press.