Steve Earle David Letterman Colorado Girl June 2009

[RDBeatnik]

I like that David seems to know who Townes is.

[peevy345]

what type of martin guitar is steve earle playing?

[nilradem]

@peevy345

I am no expert, but I know Steve has a signature Martin M-21, and believe that is what he may be playing here.

[bennors]

"Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that." - Steve Earle

[ziggyzjg]

those who made it big...sometimes made it so on the covers of such great artists as towns!! steve earls recognises this and pays tribute to such!! makin it big doesnt mean you dont make a big impact on the world of music!! beautiful song and awsome song_writer..hats off to steve earls!!

[ziggyzjg]

epic...steve captures the feeling of this song quite well!!!

[garywhite67]

townes was not the best songwriter steve.come on now.ever heard of kris kristofferson.townes couldnt tie his shoes.for steve to think townes was better then kris is just plain stupid.and i could go on.bob dylan. lennon mc cartney.townes had a couple good songs thats it steve.

[nilradem]

@garywhite67

Steve says here Townes was ONE of the best, not the best. I am sure he would include the others in the list. Arguments about "best" are subjective, but to say Townes only wrote a couple good songs? Do you know his music? He nver made it big, but I have read an interview in which Kris praised his music and would be willing to bet Dylan respected him as well.

[bmurphy519]

@garywhite67

gfy

[ziggyzjg]

@garywhite67 whoever said the best...towns was a great songwriter....kristofferson was great as well..he has seen huis time...towns died..kris has just lost his touch..steve earl on the other hand has harnesed the concept of greatness and still plugs away...paying tribute to the greatness that made him as good as he is...hats off to steve!!

[BluesBurner]

@garywhite67 "Best" songwriter is a matter of oopinion and personal taste. Personally, Hank Williams, Steve Earle, Kris, and Townes are my favorites but sometimes im more in a mood for Kris than Townes and vice versa. Townes was easily one of the best, possibly the best. I prefer much of his stuff to Kris' but as i said, its purely opinion.

[zoobotguy]

Anyone know what guitar he's playing? Is it Martin's Steve Earle signature M-21 model in amber?

[lvmarine03]

steve Im a vet-I love you-you are a real human- I hope to meet u one day

staff sgt shawn moore

1st force reconnaissance battalion

[netw52]

I heard him do this in Dallas. Opened the show with it, if I remember correctly. Wonderful performance. Wonderful song.

[TheRealMario46]

I remember this :D Last summer! This song is epic.

[napoleonicstrike]

Steve just gets better and better with age. He's become so self-aware and it's helped him record some of the best music of his career.

[johnnycanada]

I love it when Steve just plays music and spares us from his personal politics.

[karrieamettis]

@johnnycanada Sure he talks a lot of Politics, but wouldn't it be cool to spend an hour or 2 talking 1 on 1 with Steve? No one else around, no cameras or mic's.

[bjewell2]

@karrieamettis I met him on a cruise a couple of years ago. He was skittish as all hell. Artistic genius will have its quirks!

[djscreaming]

@johnnycanada personal? are you mad?

[foxyfonzie]

wish someone would post Townes sing this live...cant find it on the tube...one of Townes best

[GoSkatePlease]

i think steve would smack me if i said this but i think i like his version of this song a hair bit more

[resonatorplate]

I miss Townes.

[aarongohn]

Seen Steve last night in Calgary it was perfect.

[whitefeet1]

Funny, I can hear Tom Rush doing this - its a classic chassis for a song - and I did hear Townes do it to end a show back in '94, just solo in a little town in a little folk joint, without a band, and his eyes welled up with tears at the end of it, like mine are now...

[everysinglenamesgone]

This video is pretty much priceless.

[aswtx75]

That was some beautiful picking! Makes me want to pick up a guitar again. If only I could sing :( And thanks to Steve for getting and staying clean so we can have him around to hear these beautiful songs.

[BringBackTheHate]

Townes Van Zandt wrote this song you idiots. It is about his love for Colorado from his youth.

[IamUberStein]

I love that guitar riff.

[toddallenhooper]

Steve Rocks!!!

[surfntx]

One of the best songwriters of our time. I concur with princessofhesse that God giving him a second chance at life is a blessing to all of us. My political views vary from his, but his music has given me so much joy in my life. I feel very lucky to have been around to hear it.

[karrieamettis]

I can't think of a better way to spend 5 minutes of my time. I'm so glad Steve's still here. He fills in a Musical Gap that was missing in my heart, along with peolple like Guy Clark, Playing for Change and a guy named Mike Sinatra. WOW!

[princessofhesse]

i've been a huge fan of Steve Earle's for a hundred years, we both hail from the same part of Texas and, to me, he is the greatest singer songwriter alive..but,that's just me....a wonderful person, real inspiration to many..and yes, it is a blessing God gave him a second chance at life....

[PollllyMan]

2.34 sounds like an orgasm xD i love steve earle so much !! Colorado girl ohh mine :)

[SuperJtucker]

Does anyone know how to put this to an mp3? I'm rying to get it on guitar...would love to be able to play along to it (internet is tough in Africa!) If so, email me!

[stevo0665]

i think dvdvideosoft is what i used to use. it works great and its free

[punkguitarist610]

One of the best sounding acoustic performances I have ever listened to

[70mjc]

and to bslz65, no the capo isn't on F#, it's on the 2nd fret, which would be an E because the guitar is tuned to Open D.

Don't you hate when you try to call someone out only to be the one shown to be the bigger moron

[70mjc]

He uses Open D tuning, with the capo at the 2nd fret obviously. He alternates both low D's with his thumb, which is the hard part if you are unfamiliar with finger picking, at least to do so effectively and to stay in rhythm.

Steve and Townes are two of the greatest. Thanks so much for showing this. I get more and more blown away each time I listen to it. Simply amazing.

[crowldawg]

i wish i could pick like that!!!

[varmitrifle]

WHAT A DAMN MARTIN GUITAR !!

[Chexxum]

I remember watching this and saying, "Man, he looks a lot like Walon from The Wire!" Found out later, no clue this dude could act.

[lvmarine03]

whats up with all the posts on his tuning-steve has used dropped and alternate tunings for years-and with his masterful fingerpicking it produces a great effect. Love Van Zandts wrinting but it takes earles artistry and presence to make this song great

[codylovesfords]

im more of a fan of copperhead road but this is pretty good

[Rauoul]

Great version of a great Townes song. Steve said it, Townes was one of the best songwriters ever!

[dragonflychainsaw]

simply one of the best and townes van zant one of greatest musicians that ever lived

[princessofhesse]

yep, you are right, i've had the joy of seeing Steve twice now on the Townes tour....just wish i could see him every week!!! steve earle is incredible in a thousand different ways.....i've loved him forever and ever.....and, isn't he just a cute feller????

[BluesMANia01]

Steve Fuckin Earle dude

[briandcruz]

Can someone tune his guitar?

[bslz65]

r u a fucking moron. it has a capo on F# you idiot.

[briandcruz]

Take it easy. Even if he was capo-ed in Z, it still sounds annoying.

[ConorSod]

Wow yo uare either Tone Deaf or Retarded if not both 'A tone deaf retard'

[tonytherockerboy]

I had never heard of him until I saw this the other night. Now I can't get enough! He is sooo good!

[princessofhesse]

baby, you better back track 20 years and get all of his stuff...he is incredible...

[terriwilgren]

the tone on this Martin is incredible....

[stevo0665]

yeah it is! i had to go to a guitar center the day after i heard this to play some of the high dollar martins i can't afford. does anyone know what tuning he is using? double drop d maybe? i can't figure it out but i never can.

[highlowinbetween]

check out the tab on ultimate guitar..it has the tuning on it..i haven't tried it but it looks ok

[stevo0665]

yeah i did and it is a good tab. it's open d capo on 2. so open e actually i think

[terriwilgren]

what a cool mofo steve is....

[TheRealMario46]

Man. This live version is better than the recorded one. He is amazing man.

[Linda77762]

Steve still gots it goin' on- he is one of the best- i seen him, fab. show!!! What a cool night to see Steve on such a sad day of loss- Farrah and Michael:( Bless

[krelle9800]

Awsome!

[WifeNumber8]

i wuv my steve xx

[shakey64]

Ive been following his career since I bought the GUITAR TOWN album LP back in 86. Going to see him this coming Saturday in Savannah!

[rubidiumstud]

i love steve earle, but i dont know how daivd letterman has been on tv for so long...

[inthecasket]

awesome, easily one of the all time greats.

[kcoondog]

Incredible! You all better recognize!

[AdamHassan88]

Awesome, Steve Earle is the best