Justin Townes Earle, an accomplished alt-country singer and songwriter who was a son of the country-rock firebrand Steve Earle, died on Thursday at his home in Nashville. His death was confirmed late Sunday by his record label, New West, which did not give a cause. “It is with tremendous sadness that we inform you of the passing of our son, husband, father and friend Justin,” read a post on the younger Mr. Earle’s Facebook page. His father has been an outlaw star of the country world since the 1980s; he named his son in tribute to Townes Van Zandt, the country-folk songwriter who was a master of the bleak, haunting ballad. Yet from the start Mr. Earle drew the respect of critics and a small but devoted following, writing songs of heartbreak, loss and family with a dark narrative undertow and a sepia-toned folk-rock style that could hark back to Mr. Van Zandt or Hank Williams.

Source: New York Times August 24, 2020 17:17 UTC