2011 Artist of the Year – Justin Townes Earle
The Saving Country Music Artist of the Year is not like any of the other end-of-year awards. There are no candidates to choose from, and I don’t canvas the readership for help in choosing the winner.
There are a few basic principles that govern Saving Country Music, and one of them is that the focus is always people first, then music. Music is just the excuse to learn about people, and to create community. More than any of the other awards, this principle governs who gets chosen for Artist of the Year. But overall, the one requisite that must be met is that the artist must inspire me more than any other.
In 2009, when Saving Country Music was still somewhat in it’s infancy, I named Justin Townes Earle‘s Midnight At The Movies Album of the Year. After watching moving performances from Justin in 2009, talking to him personally and in an interview format, I was convinced this was a man who had a singular talent way beyond what his famous name afforded him. I was moved, and inspired. There is nothing I take more seriously than putting my name behind somebody, as an artist, and as a human, and I was willing to put whatever force my feeble, fledgling SCM name had behind Justin Townes Earle.
Then came 2010, at South by Southwest in March, where Justin Townes Earle performed. My stupid little blog now burgeoning, and my eyes all aglow to see my favorite artist perform, when Earle took the stage in his light blue pants two sizes too small and a bowtie, I could tell immediately he was wasted, and wasted while the sun was hung at mid afternoon. He put on a pathetic performance that didn’t just disappoint me, it broke my heart. I was devastated. I believed in this man, and as a student of his career I knew the key to Justin’s success was his sobriety. I had no doubt in my mind he was off the wagon. Rumors swirling about SXSW seemed to confirm this diagnosis.
But anybody can have a bad performance, or a relapse, and so I kept my observations to myself, waiting for a possible redemption. Unfortunately I did not find it in the album he released later in the year, Harlem River Blues. It’s not that it was bad, it’s just I knew Justin was capable of so much better, and in my review I called into question Justin’s sobriety as the culprit.
My accusation effected a small, but heated backlash from some JTE fans who said it was unfair and unfounded for me to question his sobriety. Then in September of 2010, a few weeks after posting my review it was revealed that Justin Townes Earle had been arrested in Indianapolis after a drink and drug-fueled altercation. Saving Country Music broke the story. Justin Townes Earle and I had come full circle.
My next Justin Townes Earle interaction was in December of 2010, when he performed at The Parish in Austin, TX, stone sober. Since that performance, I have had to come to grips with the idea that I may never see a stronger live performance by an artist for the rest of my life. It was that good. Legendary. And many folks who witnessed Justin on the same tour and subsequent ones have said similar things.
As a music critic, I always make sure to measure music not only against it’s peers and other common standards, I measure it against the strengths and shortcomings of the artists themselves. And doesn’t it seem like the most brilliant of the artists amongst us are many times the ones to be balanced adversely by demons? If Justin’s artistic brilliance is measured 10 out of 10, then so is his propensity to get up every morning and shoot heroin. Only the people that live in that same extremity of the addiction battle can imagine that struggles that Justin Townes Earle must fight every day. And then to ride the emotional roller coaster of live performance, travel, uneven schedules, and the ridiculous amounts of temptations that adorn the musician’s path at every turn? Simply watching Justin Townes Earle stay sober is inspiring in itself. Pile on the fact that, oh yeah, he’s also one of the most engaging live performers of our generation, and has accumulated widespread adoration and respect from an impressive swath of the music world. That is the definition of a Saving Country Music Artist of the Year.
And Justin Townes Earle has admitted that in 2011 he had some very small, but very real relapses. And Justin will have more relapses. He admits that, and that is the theme of the song “It Won’t Be The Last Time” from his upcoming album. And I’m OK with that.
And I don’t care if you don’t like Justin Townes Earle’s music. What is music anyway except the mastering of motor skills to move your fingers and sing in such a way as to entertain? Compared to fighting off the demons of a man whose been a drug addict since before he was a teenager, music is relegated to a parlor trick. And I don’t care if Justin Townes Earle, his management or label, or anybody else gives a damn about my dumb little award. He probably thinks I’m an asshole, and you know what, I’m OK with that too. All I know is that in 2011, no other artist, none, inspired me more than Justin Townes Earle.
January 5, 2012 @ 2:04 pm
To me, there is something special about Justin Townes Earle that only comes along once in a while. He has a voice that can command silence in a room, his song writing skills are miles ahead of anyone I can think of and his guitar playing is something special. Seriously, the finger picking on a lot of his songs is just plain awesome. It’s also a rarity when an artist’s live show is different from their album but in a good way. If you had only listened to Harlem River Blues, or saw his performance on Letterman before seeing him live you’d be blown away by the difference because it is a lot more stripped down than the record. I put JTE’s music up there with Hank III’s as defining what I look for in an artist.
January 5, 2012 @ 3:39 pm
When I first heard JTE I didn’t care for his music, but it’s slowly growing on me.
January 5, 2012 @ 5:37 pm
Very nice article. Looking forward to 3/27 and also the next time he passes through DC.
January 5, 2012 @ 5:48 pm
Couldn’t agree more, Justin is hands down my favorite artist out right now. The level of uniqueness that he brings to his music is unmatched by any other artist. I hear people compare him to The Avett Brothers and Ryan Adams quite a bit, but I just don’t hear it. Justin’s music is the epitome of roots music to me, so many styles converge for a listening experience unlike any other.
May 25, 2012 @ 8:55 am
That’s the truth. Avett Brothers and Ryan Adams ain’t got nothing on JTE. He’s the real deal and definitely knows how to play his cards right. JTE doesn’t seem like the kind of artist who makes his music to be different in a hipster type of fashion, the Avett Brothers come off as that to me. Ryan Adams is good but no roots involved.
January 5, 2012 @ 6:08 pm
JTE for President! As you know Trig, I have been with you on that rollercoaster the entire time. We’re never going to agree on JTE’s fashion sense, but I too was heartbroken by seeing his performance at SXSW in 2010 with you and then early in 2011 in Auckland. I am hoping and praying I see a return to form with this new album and in any subsequent live shows. Have you had to bust out your dish cloth to dry any actual dishes yet?!?
January 6, 2012 @ 7:48 pm
I saw JTE at Bonnaroo and he was by far the best solo act I saw. I was standing next to some older guys that were long time Steve Earle fans and this was really their first introduction to JTE. They were blown away by his performance and agreed that he is equal to and maybe even better than his dad when it comes to pure talent. He’s had his share of troubles and he’ll have more but he’s one of the greatest country music artists working today.
January 6, 2012 @ 8:14 pm
I’m one of those long time Steve Earle fans. I balked for a while on getting into JTE, figuring he might be a lightweight version of Daddy. No. As far as father/son artist comparisons go, this is the fairest fight I can think of. I’ve yet to see him live and I really have to remedy that.
January 8, 2012 @ 7:00 am
I’ve always been fascinated by Justin Townes Earle, being Steve Earle’s son, and choosing a carreer in music. I liked that he took his own musical route, while his songwriting sometimes is not much different from his dads. He also follows his dads footsteps in the drugs.
Steve Earle had released 4 full length studio-albums when he disappeared off the map for a few years, getting clean and then launching the second part of his carreer, which has been of a pretty high standard, in my opinion.
I have never seen JTE live, he is high on my list, and I sure hope that his new cd will bring him to Holland. But I also hope he follows in his fathers footsteps and gets clean and be the songwriter/performer that he’s got the talent for.
Good choice as artist of the year, without a release to his name.
January 8, 2012 @ 10:08 am
What I like about JTE – and your recognition of him – is that if he can do it, maybe I can, too. Thanks, Trig.
January 11, 2012 @ 8:28 am
Dude just released the title track of the new album. I love the direction he’s going in.
Triggerman,
You mentioned a lack of emotion in his singing on HRB. I agreed with this assessment, and this song seems to be a huge improvement.
January 11, 2012 @ 6:03 pm
Damn good pick. His new album will be out in a few months and I can’t wait. Too bad the Dallas Observer pissed him off and he won’t be playing Dallas anytime soon.
January 11, 2012 @ 6:23 pm
So maybe that’s the reason we’ve seen no Texas dates in over a year. I still regret not firing back at those bastards for that.
January 16, 2012 @ 4:51 pm
Really? “Midnight” better than “Harlem”? I have both and the latter is far superior. “Harlem” is objectively better. “Midnight” had that cool Replacements cover but other than that my reaction was, “oh cool, Steve’s son is not bad.” “Harlem River Blues” however was amazing.