“I MADE THIS RECORD… IT WAS THE ONLY WAY I KNEW HOW TO SAY GOODBYE.” — STEVE EARLE, AFTER LOSING HIS SON AT JUST 38. Steve Earle named his son after the person he admired most — his mentor, Townes Van Zandt. A man who spent his whole life drowning in addiction. And Steve gave that name to his firstborn like it was a blessing. Justin Townes Earle built his own path — 8 albums in 13 years, an Americana Music Award, stages with John Prine and Levon Helm. But what people didn’t see was that he’d survived 5 heroin overdoses before turning 21. And what happened on the night of August 20, 2020 — no one could have changed it. That evening, Steve and Justin talked on the phone. Said “I love you” to each other. A few hours later, Justin was gone. Fentanyl-laced cocaine. He was 38. Steve didn’t do tribute records. He walked into Electric Lady Studios and recorded 10 of Justin’s songs — plus one original, “Last Words,” about that final phone call. He released the album on January 4, 2021. Justin’s birthday. Every dollar goes to Justin’s daughter, Etta.
Steve Earle’s Final Gift to Justin Townes Earle: Turning Grief Into Song When Steve Earle says, “I made this record……