A Look Back At Rock On! Interview with Steve Earle 
×


New Jersey Stage menu
New Jersey Stage home
New Jersey Stage search button

Search website


 


COLUMNS | FEATURES | EVENT PREVIEWS
featured events

A Look Back At Rock On! Interview with Steve Earle


By Danny Coleman


originally published: 12/22/2016

New Jersey Stage is fortunate to have many writers contributing to the magazine and our daily site.  Among them, one of the hardest working writers is Danny Coleman who writes “Rock On! This Week’s Sound Bites” - a weekly column found on the website.  Danny is known throughout the New Jersey music community for his weekly radio show and recently added a video talk show as well.  While those shows largely promote independent artists from the tri-state area, his weekly column promotes local artists as well as national ones.

Here is a look back at a few interviews by Danny over the last half of 2016.  Be sure to check out his column every Thursday at NewJerseyStage.com!

Steve Earle - published in July 2016

“You write about what you know,” said a seemingly taken aback Steve Earle when asked about what many would consider a “Chequered Past.” “I got married a lot back in the ‘80’s if that’s what you’re talking about. I’m retiring from that; defeated. All of those experiences and more can’t help but creep in to your work.”

Once called the “new face of outlaw country,” Earle took a four year hiatus during the mid-nineties amidst what many consider to have been the prime of his career. Intravenous drug use, jail time and recovery ruled his life during this period and all became fodder for his ingenious songwriting capabilities.

Seven marriages to six different women and the dissolution of those units in the decade of the ‘80s proceeded his success and his disappearance in the ‘90s but yet Earle somehow has managed to produce 16 studio recordings.



 
Advertise with New Jersey Stage for $50-$100 per month, click here for info



The latest effort, “Colvin & Earle,” is not a solo album but a duo work with current touring partner Shawn Colvin and they’ll be performing in support of that release on July 20 at BergenPAC in Englewood, NJ. “It was just released on June 10 on Fantasy Records,” explained a now enthusiastic Earle. “It’s been number one on the Americana charts the last couple of weeks. It took us about a week to do it and we both kinda needed to do this. We got Buddy Miller to produce it, who is a tremendous songwriter and he makes great records; he was in the last season of “Nashville” when he came available so we reached out. Buddy and I have worked together before on the show so we are familiar with each other.”

Perhaps no greater compliment can come to a songwriter than that of when one of their peers asks to record their work. Earle has had his material recorded by Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Travis Tritt, Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, Emmylou Harris and more as well as current stage mate Colvin. “Well,” he started with some hesitation. “We think it’s kinda fun. I don’t mind hearing the song she’s done the way she does it and we think it’s a lot of fun to share a stage together. The way we sing together; there’s just something special about it and the two of us have a great connection on stage. The others? Well, I was never able to make a living at it but it is definitely a big deal when you hear a song you wrote on the radio for the first time no matter who has recorded it.”

The self titled debut disc has 10 tracks and Earle says that they will be on the menu. “We only have one album,” he said with a laugh, “So, we’ll be playing that plus our own solo material and maybe a bonus track here or there; they won’t be disappointed (laughs).”

A renewed sense of purpose seems to have Earle motivated as his plans include this current tour and a new release come the fall. 

“I’m putting out a new record in November and recording it in Austin, TX; I’ve never recorded there and I’m from Texas. This one is going to be a country record. I’d like to think that this would’ve been the record I’d made after “Guitar Town” had Jim Boggio not pissed me off; I think it’ll be more of a country record this time.”

As his voice trailed off, so did the time. Earle had more interviews and rehearsals to prep for. However, this incredibly talented man, along with his beautiful  partner Shawn Colvin, is ready to take over the Bergen PAC; who is to say they won’t succeed?



Danny Coleman is a veteran musician and writer from central New Jersey. He hosts a weekly radio program entitled “Rock On Radio” airing Sunday evenings at 7:000pm EST on multiple internet radio outlets where he features indie/original bands and solo artists.







EVENT CALENDAR

ART | COMEDY | DANCE | MUSIC | THEATRE | COMMUNITY

Phoenix Productions Presents: In The Heights

Sunday, September 24, 2023 @ 2:00pm
Count Basie Center for the Arts
99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701
category: theatre

Click here for full description

Waiting for Godot

Sunday, September 24, 2023 @ 2:00pm & 7:30pm
Shakespeare Theatre Of NJ - F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre
36 Madison Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940
category: theatre

Click here for 2:00pm | Click here for 7:30pm

The Hit Men: The Ultimate Rock Concert

Sunday, September 24, 2023 @ 7:00pm
Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC)
30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood, NJ 07631
category: music

Click here for full description

Selling Kabul

Sunday, September 24, 2023 @ 3:00pm
Premiere Stages - Bauer Boucher Theatre Center
1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ 07083
category: theatre

Click here for full description

Story Pirates: The Amazing Adventure Tour

Sunday, September 24, 2023 @ 1:00pm & 5:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
100 South Street, Morristown, NJ 07960
category: kids

Click here for 1:00pm | Click here for 5:00pm



For more event listings, click here



 




 

more in music




 

 


New Jersey Stage © 2023 by Wine Time Media, LLC | PO Box 140, Spring Lake, NJ 07762 | info@newjerseystage.com

Nobody covers the Arts throughout the Garden State like New Jersey Stage!

Images used on this site have been sent to us from publicists, artists, and PR firms.
If there is a problem with the rights to any image, please contact us and we will look into the matter.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads, and on our RSS feed




Art | Comedy | Dance | Film | Music | Theatre | Ad Rates | About Us | Pitch a Story | Links | Radio Shows | Privacy Policy