Justin Townes Earle will play country music at Village Idiot

8/27/2009

Justin Townes Earle is a throwback artist with an important twist.

The son of country-folk agitator Steve Earle, Justin makes country music that echoes the finely-wrought songs of vintage Willie Nelson or his namesake, Townes Van Zandt.

But the younger Earle also is his own man, crafting songs on his new "Midnight at the Movies" disc that stand on their own and don't imitate anyone or hew too closely to a formula that they become dull. It's country music the way it used to be, before all the musicians started wearing big hats, hiring personal trainers, and setting their music to pop beats accented with fiddles.

On a national tour that brings him to Maumee's Village Idiot tonight, Earle is showcasing songs from "Movies" and his first release, "The Good Life."

The cover charge is $10 at the door, and the music will start about 9 p.m. with opening act Jon Barile.