Steve Earle's new album is a tribute to Waylon Jennings

'So You Wannabe an Outlaw' has its roots in TV's 'Nashville'

Steve Earle
Steve Earle

If you go

› What: Steve Earle & The Dukes› Where: Walker Theatre, Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave.› When: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12› Admission: $35 and $50 plus fees› For more information: 423-757-5580

Steve Earle & The Dukes take the stage Tuesday night, Dec. 12, in Memorial Auditorium's Walker Theatre in support of "So You Wannabe an Outlaw," Earle's June album that is a tribute to his musical idol, the late Waylon Jennings.

But what few may know is that the album's roots grew from two songs Earle wrote for the television show, "Nashville." One was used on the TV drama, one wasn't - but together the pair of singles made him realize he had the basis for an album.

In an interview with the New York Daily News, Earle explained that the first song was written at the request of T Bone Burnett, then "Nashville" music director. It was written for a character who had a brother in prison. (Fans of the show will recognize that was Gunnar's storyline.) That song was performed on the show.

The following year, when Buddy Miller replaced Burnett as music director, Earle wrote a second song, "Lookin' For a Woman." Although Miller liked it, the single was never heard on the show.

"So I had two country songs and I thought, 'Maybe that's what my next record is going to be.' I started writing for that," Earle said in the interview,

He added another 10 songs to those two and completed "So You Wannabe an Outlaw." The tracks range from "Fixin' to Die," sung from the perspective of a death row inmate, to the duet he sings with Miranda Lambert, "This Is How it Ends." No one less than this friend, Willie Nelson, one of the original country outlaws, would do to join him on the title track.

Although Earle has won three Grammy Awards, his talent for the turn of a phrase isn't limited to songs.

He is the author of the 2011 short-story collection "Doghouse Roses" and the novel, "I'll Never Get Out of this World Alive." He's been a guest actor on two HBO series and in films such as "The World Made Straight," "Leaves of Grass" and "Dixieland."

For the last 10 years he has hosted the weekly show "Hardcore Troubadour" for Sirius XM Outlaw Country radio channel.

Needtobreathe sold out

Needtobreathe’s All The Feels tour, which stops at the Tivoli Theatre on Monday, Dec. 11, has sold out. The acoustic show begins at 8 p.m. For more information: 423-757-5580.

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