Is Steve Earle America's greatest living songwriter?

[bananas]

http://arts.independent.co.uk/music/features/article2780606.ece

Is Steve Earle America's greatest living songwriter?

He's survived seven wives, 50 arrests and a monstrous drugs habit. He's lambasted the War on Terror and infuriated the political establishment at every turn. Meantime, his music just gets better and better, as his long-awaited new album proves.

Interview by Robert Chalmers
Published: 22 July 2007

It was early one morning, in the lobby of a Stockholm hotel, Steve Earle recalls, that he told Elvis Costello how he was planning to spend the next 24 hours. "Costello listened to me," Earle says, "and told me I was fucking crazy. He has known me a long time; I believe he was genuinely concerned for my safety." Also present at this meeting was Bobby Muller - the President of Veterans of America, and co-founder of the Nobel prize-winning charity International Campaign To Ban Landmines, in whose support both musicians had been performing the previous evening.

"I regard Bobby," Earle says, "as the most brilliant activist of modern times."

"And what did he say?"

"He told me I was fucking crazy too." (Readers of a sensitive disposition should note that this will not be the last occurence of an expletive in Earle's conversation.)

<snip>

[eleny]

1. Greatest living songwriter?

I think Bob Dylan is better than Earle.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. No

I like him but I think Bob Dylan would win this contest.

[saltpoint]

3. Steve Earle is a hell of a talented soul. But my heart belongs to

Joni Mitchell in the songwriting category, with several strong runners-up.

[emulatorloo]

4. A few that come to mind -- Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, Burt Bacharach, Jimmy Webb, etc.

I like Steve Earle. But he would be lower on my list than those.

[htuttle]

5. I think he picks up where Woodie Guthrie left off

[bperci108]

9. I'd have to respectfully disagree....

I think David Rovics has that position all wrapped up.

Check him out, if you've never heard of him. He does quite a few of Guthrie's best, too. :)

[Stuckinthebush]

6. Wow...check out this Hillary reference

"As soon as you perceive Tony Blair, or Gordon Brown, or Bill Clinton or his fucking wife to be to the left of anything, you are in trouble."

I don't think I can argue with him here.

[blitzen]

7. I like Steve Earle....But here are several that I'd rank higher as songwriters...

Tom T. Hall
Guy Clark
Kris Kristofferson
Tom Russell
Ian Tyson (Canadian, so I guess he doesn't count)
Greg Trooper
Chip Taylor
Slaid Cleaves
Willie Nelson
Merle Haggard
Billy Joe Shaver

[lpbk2713]

12. I like your list ....

mind if I add a few more from the C&W field?

Dolly Parton
Emmylou Harris
Bobby Bare
Ray Price

[hlthe2b]

8. With all respect to Earle.... it is a very crowded field...

I agree with those mentioned earlier by others... Neil Young, definitely, as well as his CSNY colleagues...

[spanone]

10. No.

Earle is an egomaniac who happens to be a liberal.

[bperci108]

11. I like Steve Earle a lot, but "greatest living songwriter"? No.

Anyone ever heard of James McMurtry?

He one of the best in my book. ;)

[JeffR]

13. Great article. Thanks for the link.

I'd put Earle in the top 10, but not at #1. But he's a remarkable artist and an important voice for truth in a country that seldom recognizes truth anymore.

[stevedeshazer]

14. After reading the entire article, I think he may well be

That was an outstanding piece, thanks for posting it. I'm a big fan of Steve Earle.

[Swamp Rat]

15. Woodie Guthrie n/t

[toddaa]

16. Jandek

Jandek is America's greatest songwriter.