STEVE EARLE : JERRY JEFF

STEVE EARLE & THE DUKES : JERRY JEFF

Gettin' By
Gypsy Songman
Little
I Makes Money (Money Don't Make Me)
Mr. Bojangles
Hill Country Rain
Charlie Dunn
My Old Man
Wheel
Old Road

Label : New West Records

Release Date : August 26, 2022

Length : 36:56

Review (AllMusic) : Steve Earle once said that when he was a teenager, he wanted to be Jerry Jeff Walker more than anything else in the world, and while Walker may not be the most obvious influence on his music, the eclecticism of his body of work and his talent for re-inventing himself clearly resonated with Earle, a man who's gone out of his way to carve out new trails for himself even when it was difficult. Walker was born in Oneonta, New York, and was a member of the psychedelic band Circus Maximus before he fell in love with Texas and evolved from a folkie into a member of the Lone Star Outlaw community, the same place where Earle found his first musical home. 2022's Jerry Jeff is the fourth (and to take him at his word, the last) in Earle's series of albums paying homage to songwriters who were important to him, and while the previous LPs (honoring Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, and his late son Justin Townes Earle) saw Earle finding his way into the songs of his heroes, Jerry Jeff sounds the most like a "Steve Earle" album, as the smart but rowdy attack of Earle and his band the Dukes meshes with the smart but rowdy tone of Walker's lyrics. As a fan and fellow songwriter, Earle appreciates the full range of Walker's work, and he's equally comfortable with the playful swagger of "Gettin' By" and "I Makes Money (Money Don't Make Me)" as with the poignance of "My Old Man" and "Little Bird." Earle manages to sing Walker's best-known song, "Mr. Bojangles," without sounding rote, and if "Gypsy Songman" was a spunky bit of self-invention for Walker, Earle sees it for what it is, as well as knowing it (perhaps unwittingly) mapped out a course he's followed through his own life. At the age of 67, Earle's voice is rougher and his range narrower than it once was, but he still knows how to deliver a good story, and he appreciates the material enough to give it the right balance of vigor and dynamics. Jerry Jeff ultimately doesn't boast the gravity of Earle's previous tribute projects, but that's as much a product of the material as anything else -- Walker rarely aspired to Townes Van Zandt's level of darkness or Guy Clark's touches of dour romanticism, and the music reflects his more straightforward eloquence. That said, Earle sings these songs like they truly matter to him, and with Jerry Jeff he says farewell to a musical comrade with a very real respect and affection that comes through with every note.

Review (At The Barrier) : To have written one song, which would be covered by multiple esteemed artists would be achievement enough but if that song happens to be Mr Bojangles then even the most prolific songwriter would see it as a lifetime career highlight. However, Jerry Jeff Walker has a legacy that goes far beyond that as his compositions have inspired many a country artist some of which attained their own place in the country music hall of fame.Steve Earle's respect for him has spread to his 22nd album being dedicated to Jerry Jeff. A Grammy award winner himself, this tribute emanates from a memorial concert performance to JJ, who sadly passed away in 2021. With the Dukes, he has selected 10 songs representing the varying styles of JJ's output. This collection includes his own interpretation of Mr Bojangles in which he pours his heart and soul. JJ Walker was the guiding light for Steve Earle from early in his career and set the standard by which he measured his own career. He readily admits that his musical boyhood ambition as a young performer was to be Jerry Jeff Walker. The mercurial Steve Earle himself is no stranger to performing eclectic musical styles and from foot stomping lively tunes like Getting By and Gypsy Songman which are more akin to his own upbeat country style, to sensitive ballads like The Wheel and My Old Man, in which Earl's mournful vocals enhance the song and story within. These two songs also represent delving into JJ's ability to sustain unique songwriting skills over a prolonged period. He, like Steve Earle, was no flash in the pan. All the way through to the acapella sung Old Road (accompanied only by blues harmonica) which is a stunning close to this respectful tribute, Earle's love for the songs shines through. It's not just a tribute, but a real labour of love. That respect lovingly shines through on every track which maps in chronological order Jerry Jeff Walker's life in music so I'll leave the final words to Steve Earle who says: "The records were recorded and released in the order in which they left this world. But make no mistake - it was Jerry Jeff Walker who came first"

Review (RootsWorld) : Jerry Jeff Walker, the late, great singer-songwriter, wasn't a Texan. That's a surprise in itself; his music seems organically entwined with the Lone Star state and it did become his home for many years, but he was born in New York state. Steve Earle, who was born in Texas but now ironically lives in New York, is an unabashed fan who worked with Walker back in the 1970s. This, like his albums Townes and Guy, is Earle's way of paying homage to a man who was a huge influence on him. Walker's best-known song is definitely a stone classic. The wonderful, tender "Mr. Bojangles" seems to have been covered by everyone. It's a perfect, loving portrait of someone from an era that was almost over when Walker documented it. Now, more than 50 years later, it's a glimpse into Southern history, and Earle treats it with compassion. His beat-up voice is gloriously cracked, completely lived-in, the ideal vehicle to do the material justice. At least in his early days, Walker epitomized Progressive Country, the hippie predecessor of what became known as Outlaw Country, and the ramshackle swagger Earle and his band, the Dukes, bring to a two-step like "Gypsy Songman" (a piece that could have been Walker's theme tune) or "I Makes Money (It Don't Make Me)" capture the colourful, eager attitude of the period. It all sounds anarchic, recorded on the fly and barely holding together, but of course it's not. These are all top-class professionals; they wouldn't turn in any performance that wasn't top-notch. Nor, really, would Earle accept less than the best of something so close to his heart.