Steve Earle has announced the details for his 12th annual John Henry’s Friends Benefit. The concert will take place at Port Chester, NY’s The Capitol Theatre on Friday, December 11. Though in recent years Earle has hosted a song swap with an eclectic mix of musicians during the benefit, this time he will use the show to present The Waterboys’ Fisherman’s Blues Revue. Earle, who has been on the road in Europe with The Waterboys, will join them for what is being billed as their only North American Fisherman’s Blues Revue performance. The night nods to the group’s acclaimed 1988 LP, Fisherman’s Blues and also featuring material from Earle’s extensive catalog.
Presented in partnership with Harper House Music Foundation, the John Henry’s Friends Benefit will direct all net proceeds to The Keswell School, which educates students with autism between the ages of 3 and 21. Earle’s son, John Henry, was diagnosed with autism at 19 months old. For the past 12 years, Earle has brought together a varied cast for the charitable show, including Bruce Springsteen, Brandi Carlile, Jackson Browne, David Byrne, Rosanne Cash, Emmylou Harris, Jason Isbell and Lucinda Williams, among others.
The nine-piece revue ensemble will feature Earle alongside Waterboys mainstay Mike Scott and former members Steve Wickham and Colin Blakey, plus Brother Paul, Famous James, Aongus Ralston, Eamon Ferris and Roar Øien. This will also be the final performance of this production anywhere.
“I only ever wanted to be in three bands: The Rolling Stones, NRBQ and The Waterboys,” Earle said in a statement.
“The Fisherman’s Blues era of 1986–88 was a transcendent time for The Waterboys, and it’s always thrilling to delve back into its spirit and see what happens,” The Waterboys’ Scott added. “We’ll be performing with a nine-piece band, including two other band members from that period, and the great Steve Earle, who I’ve wanted to do a project with for many years. He’ll bring Americana roots and killer songs to the party. The tour we recently completed was among the best we’ve ever done, and this special night for John Henry and The Keswell School promises to be a great one.”
Earle will return to San Francisco for Hardly Strictly Bluegrass on October 2. A mix of artists will also honor him October 1 during a tribute tied to the San Francisco festival featuring Emmylou Harris, Jackson Browne, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Hot Tuna, Molly Tuttle, Buddy Miller and others.
