Justin Townes Earle at the Rio Theatre

Justin Townes Earle

Judging by the harsher compulsions in his personal bio, he is definitely a chip off the old block. But the nice thing about Steve Earle’s kid Justin Townes Earle is that he’s also put out four increasingly impressive records in three very short years, with 2010’s Harlem River Blues proving that he can colour outside the lines of straight-ahead Americana in ways that Daddy has never been able to. Stepping out from that big shadow can be tough—just ask Leonard’s child, Adam Cohen, Richard’s boy, Teddy Thompson, or, most disturbingly, alleged son of Jim, Cliff Morrison (seriously, ask Google all about him). Justin Townes is the one that dodged the curse. Catch him at the Rio Theatre on Saturday (October 8).