New Set Collects Unreleased Songs and Demos from Justin Townes Earle’s Final Years

Nearly four years after Justin Townes Earle’s tragic death at age 38 comes a new project collecting recordings he made in the last years of his life.

The 2 LPs of All In: Unreleased & Rarities (The New West Years), coming Aug. 9, include 12 previously unreleased recordings and six never-before-heard songs, New West announced today. The set features liner notes from Earle’s wife, Jenn Marie Earle; images and remembrances from his friend and constant photography collaborator Joshua Black Wilkins; and commentary from All In co-producers Adam Bednarik and Kim Buie. The deluxe edition also comes with a 52-page hardbound book displaying more photos from Wilkins, who was part of the photo shoot for every recording Earle released, starting with his 2007 debut EP, Yuma.

Earle began his time with New West Records in 2017, releasing Kids in the Street, and in 2019 released what would become his last album, The Saint of Lost Causes (ND review). All In includes early versions of three of Lost Causes’ songs, plus six songs he considered including. There are also two live recordings from his father, Steve Earle’s, Hardcore Troubadour show on SiriusXM, and a handful of covers.

The first single from the set is one of those covers, “Dreams,” by Fleetwood Mac. The video for Earle’s version of the song was directed by Wilkins and features photos and footage of Earle in New York City, North Carolina, and Nashville.

But what the songs of All In showcase most is Earle’s deeply felt songwriting, including some that was still in progress when he passed away from what was ruled an accidental drug overdose on Aug. 20, 2020.

“Justin wanted to be known for his writing,” his wife, Jenn Marie Earle, says in a press release announcing the album. “He began two books that all of us wish he’d had the time to finish. What we are left with is nothing short of extraordinary. He took his time, he poured his pain and heart into his writing, into his human experience. Justin left a mark on many thousands of people worldwide. We will forever be able to delve into and learn so much from what he created, how he held himself in this world, how he soared, and how he fell. There are so many deeply profound aspects of Justin Townes Earle for his loved ones and fans alike to embrace for all time.”

Here’s a look at the track list from All In: Unreleased and Rarities:

1. 1. Cold Comfort (Unreleased demo for The Saint of Lost Causes)
   2. Already Gone (Unreleased demo for The Saint of Lost Causes)
   3. I Know You (Unreleased demo for The Saint of Lost Causes)
   4. Troubled Eyes (Unreleased demo for The Saint of Lost Causes)
   5. Lonely Mornings (Unreleased demo for The Saint of Lost Causes)
   6. All or Nothing (Unreleased demo for The Saint of Lost Causes)
   7. If I Was the Devil (Unreleased demo for Kids in the Street)
   8. Champagne Corolla (Live on Steve Earle’s Hardcore Troubadour show on SiriusXM)
   9. So Different Blues (Live on Steve Earle’s Hardcore Troubadour show on SiriusXM)
   10. Dreams (Fleetwood Mac cover/Unreleased bonus track from The Saint of Lost Causes)
   11. Rocket 88 (Jackie Brenston & Ike Turner cover/Unreleased bonus track from The Saint of Lost Causes)
   12. The Saint of Lost Causes (Unreleased demo for The Saint of Lost Causes – a work in progress)
   13. Appalachian Nightmare (Unreleased demo for The Saint of Lost Causes)
   14. Appalachian Nightmare (Album version from The Saint of Lost Causes)
   15. Over Alameda (Unreleased demo for The Saint of Lost Causes)
   16. Over Alameda  (Album version from The Saint of Lost Causes)
   17. Glory Days (From Dead Man’s Town: A Tribute to Born in the U.S.A.)
   18. Far From Me (From Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine)
   19. Graceland (Bonus track from Kids in the Street, limited 7-inch release)