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STARVIN' FOR JUSTICE 2001
PRESS & PICTURE GALLERY
Steve Earle, Through Hell and High Water
Story by the Washington Post
Photos by Martin Lueders (Insight Photos) and Abe Bonowitz
(click on the images for enlarged view) |
When Steve Earle agreed to perform Sunday at a Capitol Hill rally
protesting the death penalty, he had no idea it would turn into 3
separate concerts. The popular Nashville-based roots-rocker came to
Washington, as he has for the past 4 years, to play a free show for
participants in an annual vigil and fast protesting the Supreme Court's
1976 decision restoring execution as a legal form of punishment. In past
years, the turnouts for Earle's acoustic appearances have been relatively
small, sometimes only a few dozen.
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But on Sunday, even a brewing early-evening storm didn't deter the 300 or
so fans, activists and curious tourists from gathering around a makeshift
stage on the Capitol lawn across from the Supreme Court. Families spread
out blankets, parents pushed strollers, 2 boys tossed around a Nerf
football. Volunteers collected donations and led chants.
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 In a pre-concert interview, Earle said he had taken on the issue because
it was the only way he could live with himself.
"It's not about any of the guys on death row; it's about me trying to
keep me from going to Hell," he said. "If this is a democracy, then if
the government kills somebody, I'm killing somebody. And I object to the
damage that does to my spirit."
Bushy-bearded and, at age 46, slightly balding, Earle took the stage
wearing bluejeans and blue T-shirt. He started off with the mournful
"Taneytown" and then played "Ellis Unit One," a song he composed for the
"Dead Man Walking" soundtrack. This being summer and this being
Washington, the weather was not cooperating.
"We'll do one more and then we'll probably have to run like hell," Earle
said, eyeing the darkening sky. But there wasn't time for one more.
Another dose of thunder and the singer quickly invited the crowd across
the street to the United Methodist Building to continue the show.
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Half of the drenched fans squeezed into the building's lobby, where Earle
handed out paper towels and played a few songs -- unplugged and unmiked
-- including "Christmas in Washington" and "Steve's Last Ramble." "We
really do appreciate that you all came across the street," Earle said,
laughing. "We just didn't think you would."
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He then headed to the building's chapel, where the rest of the crowd from
the lawn had been waiting patiently for what would be Earle's 3rd set of
the night.
Standing in front of a gold cross, Earle played a few bluesy tunes before
ending the series of shows with "Over Yonder (Jonathan's Song)," about
his witnessing of the 1998 execution of a convicted murderer in Texas,
Jonathan Nobles.
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Earle seemed to draw strength and maybe even solace from the size of the
crowd and its foul-weather endurance. "This is the biggest crowd we've
ever had," he told them. "It's nowhere near as heartbreaking to be a part
of this movement as it used to be."
Story by the Washington Post
Photos by Martin Lueders (Insight Photos) and Abe Bonowitz
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