If you’re a fan of Townes Van Zandt in any capacity, Steve Earle released an excellent tribute album titled Townes in 2009. Steve dropped out of high school to seek out Townes, eventually meeting him and kindling both a mentor/protégé relationship and a friendship. Van Zandt’s influence is easy to find in Earle’s style, though the latter definitely went his own way. There’s an authenticity to Earle’s interpretation of TVZ, despite providing a markedly different listening experience.