Kelley Looney

Steve Earle is an American rock, country and folk singer-songwriter, record producer, author and actor. Earle began his career as a songwriter in Nashville and released his first EP in 1982. His breakthrough album was the 1986 album Guitar Town. Since then Earle has released 15 other studio albums and received three Grammy awards. In this episode, we reveal the unique man behind the music.

Transcendental Blues is an album released in 2000 by Steve Earle. It features Sharon Shannon on the track "The Galway Girl". The album was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Contemporary Folk Album category.

"Steve Earle & the Dukes and Duchesses" is what he calls his band by name. One Duchess is wife Allison Moorer. Her wonderfully roughened voice gave Earle's mix of country, folk, Americana and rock an additional, soulful touch. This 75-minute performance ranged from the latest album "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive" to his beginnings 25 years ago with "Guitar Town" - including a few political stings in the direction of George W. Bush or oil spill cause BP, but also a declaration of love to his adopted home of New York.

Now the longest-running music series in American television history, ACL showcases popular music legends and innovators from every genre.