To use the word crooner to describe a singer is a little old fashioned. However, listening to Justin Townes Earle’s voice (especially the live version) it is the most appropriate description. His voice has the diversity cut across Genres from Country to Soul. Whether the lyrics are somber or optimistic, his voice serves as a perfect medium to keep the setting in balance. Such was the case at Workplay Theater in Birmingham. The set list included a mix of songs that promoted his new release “Single Mothers†and included some of his classics. The song selection seemingly established the struggle to discover identity as the theme of the evening. It is also a theme that lives through many of the characters that Earle has created as a songwriter. Although it is from a previous album, “Mama’s Eyes†would have been a perfect song for his current album. When he played the song, it personalized the title cut of his new release, and gave insight into his own struggles with identity.
The line of the night, as the usually are, was the result of an outburst from a fan. A woman strangely shouted that Earle appeared Norman Rockwell like. To this he responded, “I doubt Norman Rockwell ever shot dopeâ€. What an image of a “Saturday Evening Post†published in an alternative universe. However, his response is indicative of how his own personal history lends perspective to his songs. To that point, the highlight of the evening was his performance of “White Dress, White Shoes and White Gardeniaâ€. The song is about Billie Holiday, who struggled with addiction in the same way he did. His intent was to paint her not in terms of her struggles, but “as someone’s daughterâ€. Knowing the inspiration behind it, made the performance of the song even more impactful.
During the set, Earle discussed his travels and places he has lived. He is obviously not ashamed of his Southern roots. In fact, he pointed out that people who think rednecks are uniquely Southern “have never been to Michigan and damn sure never been to LAâ€. The great performance of Justin Townes Earle in Alabama that night made me look forward to the release of “Absent Fathersâ€, which is part two of the current album and will release on January 13th.
The show was opened by Cory Branan, whose current release “The No-Hit Wonder†is one of my favorites this year. He had a fan base of his own in attendance and put on a show full of his well crafted songs. He is a compelling storyteller and keeps things in perspective with his humor and one-liners. His set alone would have made for a great show, but the two artists together made the evening special.
About the author: Chip and his family live in Birmingham, AL. Roll Tide!