Justin Townes Earle.

On Sunday I got an email from Ticketmaster. The subject line read: ‘Can you believe it's been a year since Justin Townes Earle?’

On Monday I got an email from music blog The 13th Floor: R.I.P. Justin Townes Earle. Sometimes that ol' synchronicity can be a kick in the head. Justin, son of Steve Earle, named after Townes Van Zandt was 38.

He was great at The Tuning Fork in Auckland a year ago, playing solo with just an acoustic guitar, all tough Texas swagger with a nice side-line of self-deprecating humour.

He bantered constantly and irreverently with the crowd and played his heart-worn honest songs as well as a few old Texas blues - songs by Mace Lipscomb and Lightnin' Hopkins – showing off his unique driving guitar chops. It was a lovely night. Two hours in fine rousing company complete with a raw Americana soundtrack.

So what do you do with news like that? Sometimes things just seem so wrong. 38? Seriously? I wish I had something better to recommend than........

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