Photo via @SteveEarle on Twitter


In the wake of the August death of Justin Townes Earle, his father – country titan Steve Earle – will release an album this January, dubbed J.T.

“The record is called J.T. because Justin was never called anything else until he was nearly grown. Well, when he was little, I called him Cowboy,” Earle explained of the covers record via press statement. “For better or worse, right or wrong, I loved Justin Townes Earle more than anything else on this earth. That being said, I made this record, like every other record I’ve ever made… for me. It was the only way I knew to say goodbye.”

The record will span 10 of Justin Townes Earle’s original tunes, and it will be released digitally on Jan. 4, 2021 (what would have been the late musician’s 39th birthday). The record’s physical release will drop on March 19, 2021.

Click here to pre-order J.T.

According to a statement from earlier this year, “100% of artist advances and royalties [from the album are] going to a trust for Justin’s daughter, Etta St. James Earle.”

Listen to Steve Earle and Justin Townes Earle’s versions of “Harlem River Blues” below: