If you are a country music fan, you probably know that Steve Earle is one of the most influential songwriters and performers. Earle's life has been marked by remarkable highs and lows, from his early days as a young musician in the '60s to his rise to fame in the '80s and '90s. He's toured the world, shared the stage with legends like Johnny Cash, played on countless hit albums, and released four critically acclaimed studio albums, including three Grammy-nominated collections.
One of country music’s brightest stars, Steve Earle, has been called “the best songwriter of his generation.” His songs have appeared on Grammy Award-winning albums and sold more than 30 million records worldwide. In addition to his hit songs, Steve has also written the book "The Hard Life," which chronicled his struggle to find a recording contract, and the autobiographical memoir, "City of New Orleans."
Early Life and Education
Steve Earle was born in Houston, Texas, on December 6, 1957, to a working-class family. His father, Vern, was a truck driver and his mother, Doris, was a waitress. The family moved around a lot because his father was always working. Steve attended school in various towns in Texas and Oklahoma and eventually graduated from high school in Oklahoma City. He began playing guitar in junior high school.
And then, in the summer of 1976, he moved to Austin, Texas, to attend the University of Texas at Austin. Earle participated at the University of Texas at Austin, where he met Rodney Crowell, who would form the duo Earle and Crowell. After a year in graduate school, Earle dropped out.
Immediately after dropping out, he became a full-time musician and released his first album, the critically acclaimed 1987 release Guitar Town. In 1989, he signed with Warner Bros. Records, releasing his debut major-label album, Blue Moon.
Early Career
Earle's career as a musician began in the late 1970's when he was just a teenager. He played in a band with his friends and was soon performing solo. He started writing songs and playing at local clubs.
Earle released his first album, Guitar Town, in 1987. The album was critically acclaimed and earned Earle his first Grammy nomination. He released two albums, 1988's Hard Life and 1989's The Blue Moon Sessions. In 1989, he signed with Warner Bros. Records, releasing his debut major-label album, Blue Moon.
Studio Albums
Earle released his second album, The Hard Life, in 1989. The album was critically acclaimed and earned Earle his first Grammy nomination. Later that year, he released his second album, The Blue Moon Sessions. In the book, he described his life as "a hard life."
The Blue Moon Sessions was released in 1989. It was Earle's first major-label album. It was critically acclaimed and earned Earle's first Grammy nomination. Compared to his previous albums, it was more country-oriented.
He released more albums in the following years, but these are the most important ones.
Steve Earle's 10 Best Albums
- Guitar Town
Released: 1987
- The Hard Life
Released: 1989
- The Blue Moon Sessions
Released: 1989
- Blue Moon
Released: 1989
- The Hard Life
Released: 1989
- The Blue Moon Sessions
Released: 1989
- The Chairman
Released: 1991
- The Innocent Age
Released: 1991
- The Electric Lady
Released: 1993
- Then the Morning Comes
- Steve Earle Townes (2009)
Conclusion
In conclusion, Steve Earle is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He has released 21 studio albums. Among his albums he has also released some albums with the Dukes among them Terraplane Steve Earle and many others. Steve Earle’s music has been described as a mixture of folk, country, blues, rock, and Americana. Steve Earle has been writing and recording music since he was 14 years old. He started playing guitar at age 12 and soon became interested in music theory and composition.
He has been called “one of the most influential singer/songwriters of the past 30 years.” His songs have been covered by artists such as Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Tom Petty, and Eric Clapton. He has been nominated for seven Grammy Awards. Furthermore, he has been nominated for two Academy Awards and won one Academy Award.