A biography of a legendary singer and song-writer, written with his co-operation, this is the life behind the award-winning and bestselling albums of Steve Earle, rebel, rocker, Nashville legend. Steve Earle is the musicians' idol - "my hero" to Emmylou Harris - who has said of his life that "If I'd known I was going to live this long I'd have taken better care of myself." He was taking heroin at 13 and by the age of 40 was mired in a seemingly permanent "vacation in the ghetto" as he described his life then. In and out of jail for a variety of offences, Earle seemed determined to make good on his boast that when the end of the world came (and it seemed pretty close at times) only he, Keith Richards and the cockroaches would be left standing. He has been married six times, twice to the same woman, and amazingly forgiven by almost all of the ex-wives. In moments of consciousness he has, through sheer musical ability, shared a stage with, among others, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Sheryl Crow, the Pogues and Bob Dylan. He is regarded by many as a legend, and one of the most gifted songwriters of his generation.