Steve Earle

Steve Earle
Steve Earle performing on a mandolin at the City Winery Chicago in February 2015
Background information
Birth name	Stephen Fain Earle
Born	(1955-01-17) January 17, 1955 (age 61) Ft. Monroe, Virginia, United States
Origin	San Antonio, Texas, United States
Genres	Country, rock, outlaw country, folk
Occupation(s)	Musician, singer-songwriter, writer, actor
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, mandolin, harmonica, banjo, bouzouki, bass guitar
Years active	1974–present
Labels	Uni. MCA Nashville, New West, E² Records, Warner Bros.
Associated acts	Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Del McCoury Band, Lucinda Williams, Shawn Colvin, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Mary Cutrufello, James McMurtry, Joan Baez.
Website	www.steveearle.com

Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle (/ˈɜːrl/) (born January 17, 1955) is an American rock, country and folk singer-songwriter, record producer, author and actor. Earle began his career as a songwriter in Nashville and released his first EP in 1982. His breakthrough album was the 1986 album Guitar Town. Since then Earle has released 15 other studio albums and received three Grammy awards. His songs have been recorded by Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Travis Tritt, Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, Shawn Colvin, Ian Stuart Donaldson and Emmylou Harris. He has appeared in film and television, and has written a novel, a play, and a book of short stories.

Earle was born in Fort Monroe, Virginia, where his father, Jack Earle, was stationed. His father was an air traffic controller. The family returned to Texas before Earle's second birthday. They moved several times but Earle grew up primarily in the San Antonio area. Earle began learning the guitar at the age of 11 and was placed in a talent contest at his school at age 13. He is reported to have run away from home at age 14 to follow his idol, singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt, around Texas. Earle was "rebellious" as a youngster and dropped out of school at the age of 16. He moved to Houston with his 19-year-old uncle, who was also a musician, where he married and worked odd jobs. While in Houston Earle met Van Zandt, who became his hero and role model. Earle's sister, Stacey Earle, is also a musician and songwriter.