Steve Earle: ‘I was in jail! I didn’t have a guitar. I was missing some teeth. My clean date is still the date I went to jail, September 13, 1994’

Steve Earle: ‘I was in jail! I didn’t have a guitar. I was missing some teeth. My clean date is still the date I went to jail, September 13, 1994’

He is one of Bruce Springsteen’s favourite singer-songwriters. Bob Dylan is also a fan. So was the late Shane MacGowan. He’s been Grammy nominated. He’s acted in The Wire and Treme. Now 70 years of age, Steve Earle – born in Texas – is also known internationally for writing one of the most famous songs about a girl from Galway.