A protégé of legendary songwriters Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, Steve Earle quickly became a master storyteller in his own right, with his songs being recorded by Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Waylon Jennings, Travis Tritt, The Pretenders, Joan Baez and countless others.

The new album has been met with overwhelming critical acclaim including a 3 1⁄2 out of 4 Star review in the Los Angeles Times while the New York Post stated that the album was "American roots music at its best" in their 3 1⁄2 out of 4 star review. I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive was released alongside his debut novel of the same name (published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). The novel imagines the troubled life of Doc Ebersole as he is haunted by the ghost of his former patient and friend, Hank Williams. Patti Smith stated, "Steve Earle brings to his prose the same authenticity, poetic spirit and cinematic energy he projects in his music. I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive is like a dream you can't shake, offering beauty and remorse, redemption in spades." Recognized as an actor from the overwhelmingly acclaimed series The Wire, Steve Earle is also a cast member on HBO's acclaimed series Treme, currently in its second season.

Steve Earle lives in New York City with his wife, the critically acclaimed singer songwriter, Allison Moorer, and their one year old son, John Henry.