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“I don’t really think in terms of obstacles. My biggest obstacle is always myself.” – Steve Earle

One of JV’s Greatest heroes

Steve Earle (born January 17, 1955) is  known for his rock, folk and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play.

Birth name	Stephen Fain Earle
Born	January 17, 1955 (age 58) Hampton, Virginia United States
Origin	San Antonio, Texas, United States
Genres	Country-rock, Texas country, folk,Americana, heartland rock, alt-country,roots rock
Occupations	Musician, singer-songwriter, writer, actor
Instruments	Guitar, mandolin, harmonica, banjo,bouzouki, bass guitar
Labels	Uni. MCA Nashville, New West, E² Records, Warner Bros.
Associated acts	Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Del McCoury Band
Website	www.steveearle.com

Me and Egil have seen Steve Earle in concert several times and have followed him since his magnificent debut. We love the man.

He is always exciting to follow, as a musician, as a writer or as an actor. He has integrity. We’re always looking forward to his new albums and hope he will return to our shores as soon as possible.

Happy birthday Steve Earle!

Allmusic:

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

In the strictest sense, Steve Earle isn’t a country artist; he’s a roots rocker. Earle emerged in the mid-’80s, after Bruce Springsteen had popularized populist rock & roll and Dwight Yoakam had kick-started the neo-traditionalist movement in country music. At first, Earle appeared to be more indebted to the rock side than country, as he played a stripped-down, neo-rockabilly style that occasionally verged on outlaw country. However, his unwillingness to conform to the rules of Nashville or rock & roll meant that he never broke through into either genre’s mainstream. Instead, he cultivated a dedicated cult following, drawing from both the country and rock audiences. Toward the early ’90s, his career was thrown off track by personal problems and substance abuse, but he re-emerged stronger and healthier several years later…(READ MORE)

One of his best – Goodbye:

 Photo: Senor McGuire

Last year for his birthday we picked our favourite songs by Steve Earle.

Here is Egil’s list (follow link to read post)

Egil picked 20 songs:

1. Fort Worth Blues (El Corazón)
2. Goodbye  (Train a Comin’)
3. The Mountain (The Mountain)
4. My Old Friend the Blues (Guitar Town)
5. Feel Alright (I Feel Alright)
6. Guitar Town (Guitar Town)
7. When I Fall (Transcendental Blues)
8. Hard-Core Troubadour (I Feel Alright)
9. Johnny Come Lately (Copperhead Road)
10. Taneytown (El Corazón)
11. Valentine’s Day (I Feel Alright)
12. Billy Austin (The Hard Way)
13. More Than I Can Do (I Feel Alright)
14. The Galway Girl (Transcendental Blues)
15. The Unrepentant (I Feel Alright)
16. Over Yonder (Jonathan’s Song) (Transcendental Blues)
17. Harlan Man (The Mountain)
18. The Boy Who Never Cried (Transcendental Blues)
19. Nowhere Road (Exit 0)
20. Ellis Unit One (Sidetracks)

 

Here is Hallgeir’s list (follow the link to see videos)

 

I picked 10 songs:

1. Fort Worth Blues
2. The Mountain
3. Guitar Town
4. Copperhead Road
5. Galway Girl
6. Ellis Unit One
7. My old friend The Blues
8. Goodbye
9. Devil’s right hand
10. Telephone Road

For the album of today I have picked I Feel Allright from 1996:

Other January 17:

• Blood on the Tracks is Bob Dylan’s 15th studio album, released by Columbia Records in January 1975 (17th). The album marked Dylan’s return to Columbia after a two-album stint with Asylum Records. (will be a seperate post)
  Check out this –> Bob Dylan in 1974  for further info on the album & Bod Dylan in 1974.
• Planet Waves is singer-songwriter Bob Dylan’s 14th studio album, released by Asylum Records (Island Records in the UK) in January 1974 (17th). (will be a seperate post)
  Dylan is supported on the album by longtime collaborators The Band, with whom he embarked on a major reunion tour following its release (documented on the live album Before the Flood.) With a successful tour and a host of publicity, Planet Waves was a hit, enjoying a brief stay at #1 on the US Billboard charts – a first for the artist – and #7 in the UK.

• Michael Kevin “Mick” Taylor (born 17 January 1949 in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire) is an English musician, best known as a former member of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (1966–69) and The Rolling Stones (1969–74). Since resigning from the Rolling Stones in December 1974 Taylor began working with numerous other artists and has released solo albums. Taylor was listed in Rolling Stone magazine’s 2012 list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time, ranked at 37th place.
  
  
• Court and Spark is the sixth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. Released in January 1974 (17th), the album saw Mitchell infusing her folk-rock style, which she developed throughout her previous five albums, with jazz inflections. A very accessible and commercially appealing album, Court and Spark was Mitchell’s commercial and popular triumph—it was not only praised by critics but was also received very warmly by the public, becoming her most successful album. It reached #2 in the United States and #1 in Canada and eventually received a Double Platinum certification by the RIAA, the highest during Mitchell’s career. It was voted the best album of the year for 1974 in The Village Voice Jazz & Pop Critics Poll.. In 2003 it was listed at #111 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
  

– Hallgeir