Justin Townes Earle, the talented Nashville singer-songwriter and son of country legend Steve Earle has passed away at the age of 38, according to a message posted to his social media channels on Sunday night.
“It is with tremendous sadness that we inform you of the passing of our son, husband, father and friend Justin,” the statement reads. “So many of you have relied on his music and lyrics over the years and we hope that his music will continue to guide you on your journeys. You will be missed dearly Justin.”
No cause of death was immediately announced.
Earle spoke candidly over the years about his struggles with substance abuse — revealing he had survived five heroin overdoses by the time he was 21 — as well as his fraught relationship with his father both in interviews and on tracks like “Mama’s Eyes.” “One thing that needs to be made clear is that people always say, ‘What’s it like growing up with Steve Earle,’ and I don’t fucking know,” he said in a 2009 interview. “You have just as good of an idea of what it’s like growing up with Steve Earle as I do. I grew up with Carol-Ann Earle.”
Townes Earle, who was partly named after his father’s friend Townes Van Zandt put out his first LP, Yuma, in 2007 and followed with eight others, including 2010’s critically acclaimed Harlem River Blues and last year’s The Saint of Lost Causes.
Tributes to him began pouring in on social media last night from the likes of Jason Isbell, Margo Price, The Wire’s David Simon and Stephen King.
Justin Townes Earle is survived by his parents, his wife and their two-year-old daughter.
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