One of the (surprisingly) cool names on the list of Taste of Minnesota performers announced yesterday, Justin Townes Earle seems to be popping up all over the place. He is also set to perform on this weekend's installment of "A Prairie Home Companion," airing from New York's Town Hall. As always, you can hear it locally via KNOW (91.1 FM) on Saturday at 5 p.m. or Sunday at 11 a.m. On Sunday, Earle makes a reportedly memorable appearance alongside his dad Steve Earle on HBO's "Treme," the insanely cool and highly musical new series based in a post-Katrina New Orleans and produced by David Simon of "Wire" fame (on which the elder Earle had a recurring role). There's more, too: Justin will be featured in a live webcast at GQ.com on Wednesday at 4 p.m. CT; he also covered "Far From Me" from the upcoming tribute album, "Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: The Songs of John Prine;" and his own new album (his third) is due out on Bloodshoot Records by the fall.
Anyway, if you haven't already done so, it's probably time to get turned onto the younger Earle. His last two Turf Club appearances were magical, and his songwriting is quickly rising up to his Dad's level. He's performing at Taste of MN on July 2, the night sponsored by the Current 89.3 FM, also featuring and a headliner yet to be announced.
(Photo by Tony Nelson from SXSW 2009)
