Autumn Souvenir

Whatever your thoughts on Steve Earle relative to his music, collaborations, political views or acting skills, one thing can't be debated: He has an incredible ear for talent. Earle launched E Squared Records in 1996 with longtime pal Jack Emerson and the label acted like a label should, releasing new, exciting and important music. If not for Earle, who knows if The V-Roys, 6 String Drag and Bap Kennedy ever would have found a home. And these three, along with Cheri Knight and a few others, rounded out a label that discovered some of the best rock bands of the 90s. Like many of Earle's collaborations, E Squared was short lived and many blame Earle for the demise of a number of the bands on the label. But whatever the end result, the goods delivered while the label was active are remarkable. And the best of the lot just may be 6 String Drag's High Hat . It's rare that an album is great from top-to-bottom, especially one that goes generally unnoticed by the general public...

Thu 05/07 - Dallas, TX - Granada Theater Fri 05/08 - Springfield, MO - Randy Bacon Studio Sat 05/09 - St. Louis, MO - Off Broadway Mon 05/11 - Chicago, IL - Schuba's Tue 05/12 - Minneapolis, MN - 400 Bar Wed 05/13 - Dekalb, IL - The House Cafe Fri 05/15 - Austin, TX - The Parish

P012409PS-0241 , originally uploaded by The Official White House Photostream .

, originally uploaded by ccsbandwagon .

I could never have imagined that he'd be as successful as he's been thus far. In addition to passing a stimulus package, ending torture, vowing to close Guantanamo, siding with science on stem cell research and expanding health insurance for children, perhaps most importantly, he's beginning to restore our image throughout the world. I mean, the guy can shake hands with Hugo Chavez and the cries from the right are met with shrugs. He's taught the country to finally ignore the adolescent garbage recycled by the right. It's like we live in a country of adults again. And these realities have left the republicans literally paralyzed. If they can't turn to homosexuality, religion, guns and evil-doers, what do they have? Despite all the challenges that we face, and they are massive, the country feels very good about Barack Obama. In addition to all of this, he's vowed to get us headed towards major health care reform within his first year. He is a man of limitless...

, originally uploaded by ccsbandwagon .