Watch Steve Earle Moan the Blues to Cruel ‘Lover’
When Steve Earle sat for Rolling Stone Country‘s cameras in Nashville, he performed two songs from his new blues album Terraplane: the free-and-easy “Ain’t Nobody’s Daddy Now,” which premiered last week, and the aching “You’re the Best Lover That I Ever Had,” debuting today.
For “You’re the Best Lover,” Earle heralds the charms of a forbidden love, one who already has a man of her own. But while she may be the best, she’s also prone to being cruel. “Breaks my heart when you treat me bad,” sings Earle, who told Rolling Stone Country in November that most of Terraplane was written on the road following his divorce from Allison Moorer.
“Everything that happens to me will find its way into my lyrics, which can be an advantage as a writer and a disadvantage as a person. I don’t wanna hurt anybody’s feelings. I’m not trying to be mean. But I’m not gonna not write about what’s happening, so there’s a lot of sad stuff here,” he says. “It was a good time to make a blues record.”
One of Americana’s most celebrated writers, Earle will share some of his craft in July during an intensive four-day songwriting retreat. Set for July 20th through 24th at the Full Moon Resort in upstate New York, the second annual Camp Copperhead features hands-on songwriting training from Earle and his instructors. Each class focuses on a unique component to the writing process, while additional workshops explore the ins and outs of poetry and the guitar.
Currently on tour in support of Terraplane, Earle will play City Winery in New York City on April 7th.