Steve Earle set to bring “ 50 Years of Songs and Stories” to Anderson’s Paramount Theatre.
By: Kevin Vickery
On June 21st singer songwriter, Steve Earle will perform solo and accoustic in downtown Anderson at the historic Paramount Theatre along with his sister, Stacey Earle as special guest.
His career, spanning five decades has earned him three Grammy Awards for Best Contemporary Folk Album and four additional nominations in that category. He has also written a novel, a play, a book of short stories, been featured as an actor on two HBO series, and is currently writing a Broadway play that is a musical adaptation of the 1983 film, “Tender Mercies”.
He’s most commonly known for his hit 1988 song, “Copperhead Road” which is now the official Tennessee state song. That rock hit is when I was first introduced to his unique voice and signature songwriting style. I’ve been a fan ever since and my own band even covers a handful of his songs, particularly those like “Carrie Brown” and “Graveyard Shift” from his Bluegrass album, “The Mountain”.
I was lucky enough to score an interview with Steve recently via zoom meeting (which I’d never done before) and ask him a few questions before his upcoming local show. On the zoom meeting he said, “It all started during the lockdown. Phone interviews used to stress me out. I don’t wanna talk to people if I can’t see them”. I was happy to oblige even if it meant that this old dog had to learn a new trick.
I was able to ask him about his recent on-stage invitation by Vince Gill to join The Grand Ole Opry and he said, “It was great! It’s a drag to end up crying in public but I really had been campaigning to be a member of The Grand Ole Opry for a long time – about once a month when I was off the road – I had given up”.
I’ve seen Steve Earle’s name categorized in so many different genres of music. From traditional terms like rock, country, folk and bluegrass to more modern terms like alt-country, roots-music, and Americana, his sound to me is bigger than definition and can’t be put in only one box. I asked him what he thought about which genre he feels that hit fits in or if he even cares and he said, “I’m a songwriter. I’m OK with being called a folkie because I started out in coffee houses.” And, “I’ll never be in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or The Country Music Hall of Fame because I fall squarely in the cracks”. I personally hope that he’s wrong about that because I believe he has a place in both.
On the state of modern country music he added, “I don’t have any problem with it. I’m not the guy who’s gonna say that’s not country because that’s what they said about me.” He continued, “Country music finally found a youth audience and they did it by finding something that would appeal to kids so they started making records by hip-hop rules… but at the same time, it brought back more banjo, more fiddle, and more steel-guitar and I’m certainly down with that.”
When we were chatting about songs he’s covered that were written by other artists he was kind enough to ask me what was my favorite. Without hesitation I told him “State Trooper” which was written by Bruce Springsteen for his 1982 album, “Nebraska”. To that Steve said, “That’s cool – It’s one of the early ones. I’ve played it with Bruce standing ten feet away.” He continued, “To my generation, he was the number one singer/songwriter, the greatest commentator of rock and roll and the best performer.”
His 1999 recording, “The Mountain” is a bluegrass album where he is backed by The Del McCoury Band and features original material completely written by Steve Earle. Songs from that record have become standards and are commonly heard on-stage at bluegrass festivals and jam sessions.
Bluegrass music is a fickle genre where the “purists” make the rules and if an artist’s music doesn’t fit their standards they are shunned as not being true bluegrass. I know this first hand as my band, despite having roots in the genre will never be invited to play a bluegrass festival because we use amplifiers, drums and we don’t wear matching plaid dress shirts with bolo ties and cowboy hats.
I personally think that Steve Earle’s bluegrass album fits the rules and I believe most fans of the genre would agree. Despite that, when I asked him about it he said, “The worst I ever got my feelings hurt was the way the IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) treated that album. They voted me the bluegrass Anti-Christ”.
I strongly disagree and believe that Steve Earl’s music has transcended genres and should hold its place in the rock, country, and bluegrass halls to be recognized for its significance. I’m excited to be seeing him perform in an intimate setting like the Paramount on June 21st and see what his acoustic solo set has in store for the fans.
If you’re unfamiliar with Paramount Theatre, it sits at 1124 Meridian Street in downtown Anderson. The theater has a rich history since its opening in 1929 and has a beautiful interior appearance that was designed as what is known as an “atmospheric theater” and made to resemble a Spanish Courtyard at night. It has gone through serious renovation throughout the years to keep it alive and thriving and it has most certainly been well worth the effort.
Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of working many events there in various capacities including performing there a few times. It’s a super-cool venue and Steve Earle’s show is bound to be a great experience for all those in attendance.
For more information about events at Paramount Theatre you can check out their facebook page or their official website at: andersonparamount.org
To keep up with Steve Earle’s tour schedule and other activities visit steveearle.com
Make Some Noise 