Steve Earle

Steve Earle is one of the most acclaimed singer-songwriters of his generation. A protege of legendary songwriters Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, he quickly became a master storyteller in his own right, with his songs being recorded by Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Joan Baez, Emmylou Harris, The Pretenders, and countless others. 1986 saw the release of his record, Guitar Town, which shot to number one on the country charts and is now regarded as a classic of the Americana genre. 

Most recently, Earle’s 1988 hit Copperhead Road was made an official state song of Tennessee in 2023. Subsequent releases like The Revolution Starts...Now (2004), Washington Square Serenade (2007), and TOWNES (2009) received consecutive GRAMMY® Awards. His most recent album, Jerry Jeff (2022) consisted of Earle’s versions of songs written by Jerry Jeff Walker, one of his mentors. 

Earle has published both a novel I’ll Never Get Out Of This World Alive (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2011) and Dog House Roses, a collection of short stories (Houghton Mifflin 2003). Earle produced albums for other artists such as Joan Baez (Day After Tomorrow)and Lucinda Williams (Car Wheels On A Gravel Road) 

As an actor, Earle has appeared in several films and had recurring roles in the HBO series The Wire and Tremé.  In 2017, Earle appeared in the off-Broadway play Samara, for which he also wrote a score that The New York Times described as “exquisitely subliminal.” Earle wrote music for and appeared in Coal Country,  for which he was nominated for a Drama Desk Award. Earle is the host of the weekly show Hard Core Troubadour on Sirius Radio’s Outlaw Country channel. 

In 2020, Earle was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. And in 2023, Steve was honored by the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music.

For Georgia-bred country artist Channing Wilson, writing great songs means living each day with an immense depth of empathy, curiosity, and devotion to inspiration.

“A songwriter can’t live 50 lifetimes—but if he’s worth his weight in anything, he’d better be able to write like he has,” Wilson says.

"God could you throw this dog a bone. Let me turn the corner and be home. I'm tired of being on this road alone." Real lyrics are what Channing Wilson is all about.

From a small town in Northwest Georgia, Channing learned about real life American good times and hardships. He's not afraid to tell you about it either. From his songs like "Poor Man's Cocaine" referring to methamphetamines taking over rural America, to songs like “Black Jesus" which is a story of two men, one young, and one older, finding friendship in spite of the racial stereotypes of the times. Channing’s voice and songwriting is widely considered in the top echelon of the “who’s who” in the Nashville community.

      Born on the wrong side of the tracks to two hard working "dirt collar" parents, he had plenty of opportunities to learn real life at an early age. Channing says "I didn't have a musical family. My mother is a pretty good singer, but an even better worker. So, not much time concerts or record stores back then” Finding music later for Channing didn't slow down his passion for it. Learning guitar at 17 and starting writing shortly after. "I came across a book of short poems my mother had written before I was born, and after reading them I was so inspired to explore my own creative side."

      By age 25, he had tried college twice and quit more jobs than he applied for. "I never could accept the idea that I was supposed to work every day for someone else. I expected more than a paycheck. After a friend turned me on to Guy Clark and Steve Earle, I knew 2 things:

I never wanted to punch a clock again, and I had to become a better writer and musician." That's exactly what he did at 26 years old, he started his first band and quickly learned the ropes as a very successful regional act. That venture lasted 6 years until he became a father and knew he had to step up his game if he was going to turn a dream into a way of life.  

Selling a fishing boat and a decent guitar collection to finance trips from north Georgia to Nashville every week paid off in October of 2010 he was approached by EMI Music Publishing after playing a Tuesday night showcase called Alabama Line. After meeting with EMI a few times he was offered his first publishing deal. "I didn't know what I had to offer such a big corporate publishing company, but when I looked on the roster and saw Guy Clark I knew I was in." It didn't take long before he was in the room with his teacher. Learning from the master himself. "Just knowing Guy has made me a better man, but getting to share ideas and stories is a dream come true."

      Channing’s songs have been recorded by artists like Tyler Farr, Luke Combs, Jason Eady, and more. He has shared bills with so many of his heroes such as Billy Joe Shaver, Steve Earle, Robert Earl Keen, Tony Joe White, Chris Knight, Dale Watson, and many more including going out on the 2012 Country Throwdown Tour. He has just recently signed a artist/publishing agreement with Warner Chappell and Low Country Sound (Grammy award winning producer Dave Cobb).