Justin Townes Earle

Young guitar-wielding, globetrotting Americana exponent Justin Townes Earle may well be one of the hardest working troubadours on the world stage today, but he sure has built up a mutual love affair with Australia and our people. We love the hell out of him, and, well, his impending tour this April will be his fifth visit to our shores since he first wowed punters and critics alike on his first foray at the tail-end of 2008, so the feeling is obviously reciprocated. Just ask the man himself, he recently offered of Australia:

“It’s my favourite place to tour on earth without question. It’s very intriguing, and the women are very beautiful, tall and sensual. It’s awesome. It reminds me of Dr Seuss and I like that.”

Strange but fair. For those yet to experience the live sensation that is Justin Townes Earle, you’re sure in for a treat. The lanky, tattooed man and his music drip with charisma and authenticity, seeming to channel the spirit of long-forgotten country and blues icons such as Lightnin’ Hopkins and Buck Owens, but filtering them through a modern sensibility that broadens his appeal to all and sundry, not just purveyors of the old school. Hell, celebrated country outlaw Steve Earle is his dad and he’s named after his legendary godfather Townes Van Zandt, you can’t get much better lineage than that in this business.

The young Earle’s credentials were further strengthened this October when he took out Song Of The Year at the prestigious 2011 Americana Music Association Awards in Nashville for Harlem River Blues, the title track of this critically-acclaimed third album (itself nominated for Album Of The Year at the same ceremony).

To make matters even more enticing Earle is currently locked away in a studio working on a follow-up to Harlem River Blues, he’ll no doubt unfurl some of these soon-to-be classics in the making when he hits Australia for the East Coast Blues And Roots Festival in Byron Bay, the burgeoning Boogie festival in rural Victoria, plus headlining shows in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Fremantle and Perth. He’s just getting better and better, and it seems like the sky’s the limit for this amazing singer and songwriter, so put yourself in the presence of greatness and find out for yourself why the whole world is rapidly falling for the enigma that is Justin Townes Earle. 

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