Emmylou Harris Covers Steve Earle’s “The Pilgrim”

Emmylou Steve Earle

Emmylou Harris recently appeared on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert with her band The Red Dirt Boys and gave a moving performance of Steve Earle’s “The Pilgrim.” The song is my favorite from Earle’s bluegrass album The Mountain (1999), so it was great to hear Harris’s wonderful voice giving it a new interpretation and a new meaning.

In introducing the song, Harris touched upon today’s political culture and the plight of refugees. She noted, “This song is for the over 65 million displaced persons around the world.”

And then she began the song.

I am just a pilgrim on this road, boys;
This ain’t never been my home.
Sometimes the road was rocky long the way, boys;
But I was never travelin’ alone.

Check it out.

Harris and The Red Dirt Boys are touring to celebrate the 25th anniversary of her classic album Emmylou Harris and the Nash Ramblers At The Ryman, which was recently re-issued.

What is your favorite cover of a Steve Earle song? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    Troubled Waters Plays “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard”

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    With the departures of David Letterman and Craig Ferguson from late-night television, the odds of catching an intelligent discussion on a late-night talk show decreased significantly. That is one reason why it was refreshing to see Stephen Colbert finally take over for Letterman, and his first week did not disappoint, with highlights that included a thoughtful conversation about grief and loss with Vice President Joe Biden.

    Of course, we want to laugh and dance too. And the first week of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert did not disappoint in that category either.

    For example, at the beginning of one episode the announcer (Colbert) exclaimed that one of the guests would be Troubled Waters, a Paul Simon tribute band. For those who stayed awake for the end, the “tribute band” did not disappoint, turning out to be made up of Paul Simon. Troubled Waters then performed “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” from Simon’s 1972 self-titled album.

    On the performance of “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” Simon also received a little help from Colbert, who proved he not only can be thoughtful, he can sing, dance, and whistle. Check it out.

    What do you think of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert so far? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    John Fogerty Rocks One More Time for Letterman

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    This week, John Fogerty pulled out several of his classic Creedence Clearwater Revival tunes in a medley on The Late Show with David Letterman. At a thunderous pace, Fogerty played excerpts from “Travelin’ Band,” “Proud Mary” and “Fortunate Son.”

    Having seen Fogerty live during the era where he did not play CCR songs because of legal battles, I am always happy to see him bust out these great songs even though I also love his post-CCR songs. Note where Fogerty points when he gets to the “Proud Mary” lines about leaving a good job in the city. Check it out.

    If you wish to catch Fogerty live singing some of his CCR songs, check out his tour this summer. As for Letterman, watch for this final show on May 20, 2015.

    What CCR song would you like to hear Fogerty perform? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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