In What Do You Do When You’re Lonesome, Jonathan Bernstein traces the life of Justin Townes Earle. The book offers no easy answers for how Earle created great music or how he came to die alone in Nashville at age 38 on August 20, 2020 through an accidental overdose from cocaine laced with fentany. But Bernstein importantly leaves us with a portrait of a troubled man that provides further insight into his musical legacy.
While Bernstein makes no attempts to tie together all of the strands of Earle’s life and music, he provides the reader with a detailed description of Earle’s ups and downs and his music. While he does not delve deep into the recording or writing process, his interviews with others helps bring some insight into the influences and life experiences that helped form the too-short record of a musical life.
The book traces Justin Townes Earle‘s life from childhood through his early musical associations through his solo career and through his struggles with addiction.
Three Themes Running Through the Book
Fathers and Sons. The themes running through the book include Earle’s troubled relationship with his father, musical legend Steve Earle, as well as the son’s devotion to his mother Carol Ann Hunter Earle. Bernstein tries to present an objective perspective of the father-son dynamic, noting it was more complicated than the son often described, with the father — who declined to be interviewed for the book — attempting to play a larger role in the son’s life after the father became sober. But the parental relationships, and Justin’s perception of them, played a large role in his music (which include albums entitled “Single Mothers” and “Absent Fathers”) and in his life choices. Bernstein recounts how near the end of Earle’s life, he sometimes broke down while performing songs like “Mama’s Eyes,” which begins “I am my father’s son. . . .”
Addiction. Another theme running through the book is Justin Townes Earle’s struggles with addiction to alcohol and drugs. Bernstein does a good job of recognizing the story in the context of music history, recognizing “the Myth” believed by many that great music only comes out of addiction and trauma. Although I knew of Earle’s addictions, the book surprised me with the reporting of the persistence of them, so much that the repetition of the problems make you wish you could reach out to Earle. I was surprised to learn that his accidental death was not the result of a short relapse but a long continuing spiral, perhaps a little aided by the isolation during those early days of the Covid pandemic. The addictions often helped make him difficult toward others, such as an eventual break with one-time friend Jason Isbell. But at the same time, as recounted by Steve Earle’s ex-wife Allison Moorer, he was loved and lovable.
The Artist. The third major theme in the book is his ability to make wonderful music through it all, from before he started releasing records, through his debut EP Yuma in 2007 through the eighth and final album released in his lifetime, The Saint of Lost Causes, released in May 2019. Bernstein explains how his music career had its own ups and downs, with the reception of some albums being a disappointment. Near the end of his life, in addition to all his other challenges, he faced what felt like declining relevancy. He found his albums released after 2012 were surpassed in popularity by newer “Americana” artists building upon some of the foundations Earle helped create with his earlier albums.
No Clear Answers
Bernstein recognizes that a person is made up of more than the parts of their lives, and he makes no attempt to tie everything together in a nice bow at the end. But the portrait allows the reader to see the themes and connections, such as the fact that despite the complicated father-son dynamic, Justin Townes Earle’s first recording, the outstanding “Time You Waste,” was released as an extra track on his father’s 2003 album, Just An American Boy.
One may still wonder about Earle’s life and wonder why he was so troubled. It is normal to want more answers. A biographer can never really know everything about a subject. How can one truly know another’s heart and their thoughts? And unless someone is filmed 24/7 since the day they were born, we only know what they and others choose to tell us.
For example, near the end of the book, Bernstein recounts Earle telling an audience about problems in his childhood, includng that he was “abused.” We know that Earle often exagerated his life story, but up to that point, we had not heard that word in the book. Was Earle making it up or just referring to his issues about being abandoned by his father? Or was he referring to something that we might not know about? We can only wonder based on what we know about Earle.
Anyone interested in the music of Justin Townes Earle will be interested in this authorized biography and learn a lot about the singer-songwriter. But, like me, some readers may not find the book an extremely enjoyable read, learning that one of their favorite artists faced so many demons and made so many bad choices.
And it is even sadder to think about all we lost with Earle’s future. Bernstein recounts some of the ideas Earle was considering around the time of his death, such as producing a documentary about John Prine and perhaps finally doing an album with his father.
Then again, I think over time, getting through the sadness presented in the book will make me appreciate Earle’s music that much more. He created such light while facing such darkness in his own life.
What Do You Do When You’re Lonesome: The Authorized Biography of Justin Townes Earle is available at your local bookstore and at Amazon. Note: I “read” this book by listening to the Audible version read by John Pirhalla, who does a great job giving voice to the story.
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