I'm one of those people who thinks it's criminal for people to go hungry in the richest country in the world. I refuse to live in Texas, where I'm from, because I won't live in a state that carries out the d death penalty. My politics were formed in the coffeehouses in the '60s, which gives you some idea. I moderated a bit when I started having kids, but lately I'm beginning to think I was right in the first place. So my politics have come full circle.
Earle is quick to admit that politics can get artists in trouble.
He seconds Neil Young's opinion that artists should avoid any entanglement with political candidates. Candidates are so desperate for cash to run their campaigns, he says, that they can't be trusted. For much the same reason, he adds, artists should avoid endorsements from beer companies and other corporations. I've always written about things I'm passionate about, whether it's the small towns of east Texas or the death penalty. Music isn't going to change the world overnight, but any time you work with ideas, you can change a few minds.