Justin Townes Earle

Justin Townes Earle (Born January 4, 1982 in Nashville, Tennessee), son of Steve Earle, stepson of Allison Moorer, and named for songwriter Townes Van Zandt is an AMA nominated, Americana musician based in Nashville, Tennessee. Earle is signed to Bloodshot Records and has three released albums from 2007–2009. He currently resides in the East Village with his fiance.

Early Life

Justin Townes Earle grew up in South Nashville, Tennessee with his mother, Carol Ann Earle. When he was a boy, he and a friend vandalized a dentist's office in Fairview, Tennessee. Earle began using drugs when he was barely 12 years old, developing a serious addiction by the late 90's. In his teens he began playing and singing with two different Nashville bands, a rock band called the Distributors and a bluegrass-influenced acoustic combo, the Swindlers. Earle spent some time as guitarist and keyboardist for his father's touring band the Dukes, but was fired after a dangerous appetite for drugs began interfering with his performances. Once clean and sober, he began putting a new focus on his music and songwriting.

Performance

Earle presently tours heavily and played Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival (2008), Historical WSM, South By Southwest (2008, 2009), the historic Beacon Theater (May 2009), Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion (September, 2009), Bonnaroo (2009) and Grand Ole Opry (March 2008). In the summer of 2009, Earle co-billed The Big Surprise Tour with Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Old Crow Medicine Show, and The Felice Brothers.

Awards

In September 2009, Justin Townes Earle received an Americana Music Award for Emerging Artist of the Year. He also received nominations for album of the year (Midnight at the Movies) and for artist of the year