I was poking around online recently, pondering what to ask Justin Townes Earle in an interview, when I came across this -- a piece of satire, obviously. It's amusing to contemplate what Earle's reaction would be to someone stupid (or brave) enough to suggest he make his next record with Rascal Flatts' producer. But that got me to ask Earle: What's the dumbest thing anyone has ever tried to talk him into?
"Well," Earle said, "maybe 10 years ago, a buddy of mine suggested in all seriousness that we rob a convenience store. Then he proceeded to do it and get himself killed by the Nashville PD, which was not surprising at all to anyone who knew him. He took off on a high-speed chase, turned the car over and wound up trapped, and he opened fire with a 9mm Glock out the window of an overturned car. So they kind of had no choice but to shoot him. I found out about this the next day and thought, 'Well, yeah, that's probably how he would've wanted to go.' Cocaine's a helluva drug."
For some talk about Earle's fine new album and details on his upcoming show, see the interview in Friday's paper.
Here's what looks to be the Americana-type roadshow of the summer: The 
