Singer Justin Townes Earle, son of Steve Earle, dies at 38
Washington [US], Aug 24 (ANI): American singer-songwriter Justin Townes Earle, son of singer Steve Earle, died at the age of 38.
According to Fox News, the singer's family confirmed the news in a statement posted on Instagram and Facebook Sunday (local time).
The announcement read, "It is with tremendous sadness that we inform you of the passing of our son, husband, father, and friend Justin."
"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," the family continued.
The statement concluded with a lyric from Earle's 2014 song 'Looking for a Place to Land' from his 'Absent Fathers' record: "I've crossed oceans/ Fought freezing rain and blowing sand/ I've crossed lines and roads and wondering rivers/Just looking for a place to land."
Earle's cause of death was not made known in the statement.
Born in Nashville, Earle played in local bands the Distributors and the Swindlers. In 2007, he released his first EP, titled 'Yuma.' He went on to release several albums, including 2019's 'The Saint of Los Causes.'
In 2010, Charleston City Paper reported that Earle began using drugs at 13 and had survived five heroin overdoses by the age of 21. At one point, Earle was fired from his father's band, the Duke, due to his drug abuse.
The outlet, however, noted that Earle sought help "after a 14-day coke and dope binge that ended in respiratory failure."
Earle told the outlet at the time, "At the time, I'd been a junkie for a good portion of my life. It's kind of one of those things you just grow to expect when you have that lifestyle. You get fired. You lose things. You go to jail. You just kind of get used to it. It happens, even if it is family. When I'm drinking and using drugs, I think that all my actions are perfectly normal and okay, and somehow I wake up in jail."
Earle also got candid about facing his personal battles and writing while in rehab.
The singer-songwriter explained in an interview, "I definitely write better when I'm not using drugs or drinking. When I'm using it, it's hard to keep me out of a bar or hard to get me off the dope spot. When I do go off, I go off the deep end. I was completely clean for six years. When I use drugs, I don't do anything else. I am a drug addict."
People also reported Earle spoke out in 2017 on Chris Shiflett's 'Walking the Floor' podcast about what it was like creating music while sober.
"I got all my craziness out of the way as a coffeehouse musician and a roadie," he revealed.
As per Fox News, the star is survived by his wife Jenn Marie and their 3-year-old daughter Etta St. James. (ANI)
