Why Steve Earle Named His Late Son After Townes Van Zandt

Steve Earle and Townes Van Zandt had a father-son type of relationship. Van Zandt was his friend, mentor, confidant, and sometimes a bad but good influence. Needless to say, Earle was heartbroken when Van Zandt passed away in 1997. Steve Earle channeled his grief and released a tribute album of Van Zandt songs in 2009 simply titled, Townes.

The night the two became such great friends was outlined by the folkloric phenomenon often present in that musical circle. Earle attested to that fact by saying, “About 2:30 in the morning, Townes walked in” and “It was the first time I’d ever been in an environment with him where we weren’t separated by a microphone.” He finished the story by stating, “Townes started a craps game and lost every dime that he had” and “Within 15 minutes. I thought, ‘My hero,’” per NPR.

From that moment on, Townes and Earle were similar to father and son. However, their parentally fictitious relationship didn’t follow the regular rules and regulations. The two would often party with one another, play music, and enjoy each other’s company. Matter of fact, when Earle was in the middle of his addiction, Townes showed up and asked, “You look like shit…You using clean needles?”

Regardless of these complications, Earle views both Van Zandt’s name and legacy as something to be cherished. Not arbitrarily thrown around, commercialized, or used to garner attention. Rather, Earle’s belief in Van Zandt and his posthumous impact is profoundly personal. Hence, when he had his only son, he named him after one of the most important people in his life.

Steve Earle & His Son, Justin Townes Earl

Born in 1982 in Nashville, Earle’s son, Justin Townes Earl received his name as an homage to the late great songwriter. It’s unknown how many times JTE met Van Zandt. Though given that Earle was one of his great friends and his son was his namesake, the two surely met. Nonetheless, one of the moments that highlights Earle’s naming of his son is when he told Van Zandt.

Upon JTE’s birth, Earle called Van Zandt to tell him about his child. He told his mentor, “Well, it’s a boy, and his name’s Justin Townes.” Seconds later Van Zandt replied, “Is that after anybody in my family?” Seemingly, it’s that interaction that sums up their friendship—Sarcastically humourous and sentimentally soft. Despite his tragic passing in 2020, JTE’s name, music, and legacy lives on through his father.

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