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EXCLUSIVE: Steve Earle, Will Sheff Unplugged

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While iconic singer-songwriter Steve Earle and heady Okkervil River frontman Will Sheff have a Texas background in common, we brought them together in NYC because of their shared catalog of innately compelling music, their reverence for music history, and their dedication to their craft. We caught part of their joint interview on camera, plus two solo acoustic performance from each artist. Watch them here.

Among the highlights: Earle talks about how producing an album for Joan Baez, one of his heroes, helped reinforce his connection to the roots of folk music. Sheff describes an encounter he had with Lou Reed, and how it validated his effort to become a good singer.

As for the performances, they underscore the simple elegance of each man’s songwriting. Earle performs two songs off this year’s I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive, while Sheff plays a pair from Okkervil River’s latest LP, I Am Very Far.

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WATCH: Steve Earle & Will Sheff perform for SPIN