Country Corner

Steve Earle, who made his name delivering edgy country rock, has moved more towards traditional, recognises the song writing talents of the late Jerry Jeff Walker. With his “down home” band The Dukes, Earle covers Walker’s best-known song ‘Mr Bojangles’. He lifts the tempo for the rollicking ‘Gypsy Songman’, the mood replicated on ‘I Makes Money (Money Don’t Make Me)’, a song about chasing the almighty dollar. ‘Charlie Dunn’ is about a famous Texas bootmaker, ‘My Old Man’ is a quiet, acoustic number with Earle’s weathered vocals sounding particularly emotive, while ‘Old Road’ is basically Earle and harmonica.