The star of the 42nd Kent State Folk Festival returns with Very Special Guest and star of the 44th KSFF, Jessica Lea Mayfield

Justin Townes Earle is an anomaly. He’s tall as the day is long, all angles and elbows and a hard stare, both welcoming and deadly serious. He’s Nashville North, all set up in lower Manhattan now.
 
His record, Midnight at the Movies, was named one of the best records of last year by Amazon, received four stars in Rolling Stone and found a sweet spot in the blackened hearts of fans and critics alike.
 
GQ Magazine named him one of the 25 best dressed men in the world in 2010. He also appeared on HBO’s Treme with his dad, troubadour Steve Earle, on whose Grammy Award-winning Townes record Justin also guests.

Compared to the much-lauded Midnight at the Movies, Harlem River Blues is more mature and increasingly nuanced, while still embracing the raw voice and clean sound of previous standout tracks like “Mama’s Eyes.”

PRAISE FOR JTE

WINNER: 2009 Americana Music Awards: Best New and Emerging Artist

NOMINATED: 2009 Americana Music Awards: Best Artist & Best Album

Featured in: MAGNET’S BEST OF 2009: AMERICANA

 Named Amazon’s #8 Best Country album of 2009! And “Walk Out” one of 100 Best Songs!

Appearances on: HBO’s Treme, A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor, NPR’s Morning Edition, World Café, and The Grand Ole Opry.

“#19 (of 50 songs Every Man Should Be Listening To) – ‘Mama’s Eyes’ … Because this is what it is to be somebody’s son. Anybody’s son. Score one for Steve Earle’s kid: It took Dad much longer to write anything this universally significant.” —Esquire

“Earle sings like a honky-tonk hero and thinks like a 21st century man. He’s sharp and young, and has soul to burn—a traditionalist that is not afraid to play ragtime and cover the Replacements punk anthem ‘Can’t Hardly Wait.’” —Guitar Aficionado