Steve Earle Announces 12th Annual John Henry’s Friends Benefit 

Featuring the Only North American Performance of The Waterboys’ Fisherman’s Blues Revue

All Net Proceeds Benefit the Keswell School’s Programs for Children and Young Adults with Autism

Wednesday, September 23 –  Today, GRAMMY Award-winning singer, songwriter, author, actor and activist Steve Earle announces the 12th Annual John Henry’s Friends Benefit, featuring the only North American performance of The Waterboys’ Fisherman’s Blues Revue on Friday, December 11, at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY.

Hosted by Earle, the nine-piece ensemble will feature Earle alongside former Waterboys members Steve Wickham and Colin Blakey, plus Brother Paul, Famous James, Aongus Ralston, Eamon Ferris and Roar Øien. Following a sold-out, critically acclaimed European tour (The Guardian), the concert will mark the final performance of this production anywhere, revisiting the spirit and sound of The Waterboys’ landmark late-1980s Fisherman’s Blues era.

Mastercard presale tickets will be available beginning Wednesday, September 23, at 2:00 PM ET. Venue and Live Nation presales begin Thursday, September 24, at 10:00 AM ET. General on-sale begins Friday, September 25, at 10:00 AM ET.

“I only ever wanted to be in three bands: The Rolling Stones, NRBQ and The Waterboys,”says Steve Earle.

“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,” says The Waterboys’ Mike Scott. “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.”

Presented in partnership with Harper House Music Foundation, the John Henry’s Friends Benefit will direct all proceeds to The Keswell School, which educates students with autism between the ages of 3 and 21. Founded on the belief that children on the autism spectrum deserve full and productive lives as integrated members of their communities, the school provides individualized educational, therapeutic and supportive services for students and their families.

Earle’s son, John Henry, was diagnosed with autism at 19 months old. For the past 12 years, Earle has drawn on his celebrated talent and lifelong musical friendships to host the annual benefit. Previous concerts have featured Brandi Carlile, Margaret Glaspy, Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams, Terry Allen, Jackson Browne, David Byrne, Rosanne Cash, Shawn Colvin, Emmylou Harris, Jason Isbell, John Mellencamp, Graham Nash, Josh Ritter, Amanda Shires, Bruce Springsteen, Lucinda Williamsand many more.

Earle recently released “Volver A Celaya,” his first studio collaboration with four-time GRAMMY winners Los Lobos. Described by New York Times as a “traditional-flavored, accordion-topped bolero,” Earle wrote "Volver A Celaya" during his songwriting workshops at Jalopy Theatre, then brought it to Los Lobos in Richmond, VA, with Steve Berlin producing at Red Amp Studios. Its B-side is a new version of “City of Immigrants,” originally released on Earle’s 2007 GRAMMY-winning album Washington Square Serenade, accompanied by a music video directed by actor and filmmaker Steve Buscemi. See the “City of Immigrants” video here.

After playing more than 70 dates across the U.S. and Canada on his Fifty-One Years of Songs and Stories tour, Earle joined The Waterboys for the Fisherman’s Blues Revue in Glasgow, Dublin and London. In October, he will return to San Francisco’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. The weekend begins October 1 with An Evening Honoring Steve Earle at The Masonic, featuring Emmylou Harris, Jackson Browne, Gillian Welch andDavid Rawlings, Hot Tuna, Victoria Williams, Molly Tuttle, Buddy Miller and more. Tickets for all upcoming tour dates here.

STEVE EARLE ON TOUR:

Saturday, September 26, 2026 - Grand Ole Opry House - Nashville, TN

Thursday, October 1, 2026 - The Masonic - San Francisco, CA - An Evening Honoring Steve Earle

Thursday, October 8, 2026 - The Chicago Theatre - Chicago, IL

Saturday, October 10, 2026 - Grand Ole Opry House - Nashville, TN

Thursday, October 15, 2026 - Petco Park - San Diego, CA

Friday, October 16, 2026 - Plaza Theatre - Palm Springs, CA

Saturday, October 17, 2026 - Long Beach Amphitheater - Long Beach, CA

Friday, October 23, 2026 - Greenwich Odeum - East Greenwich, RI

Saturday, October 24, 2026 - Bearsville Theater - Woodstock, NY

Friday, November 6, 2026 - Sellersville Theatre - Sellersville, PA - w/ Chris Pierce

Saturday, November 7, 2026 - The State Theatre - State College, PA - w/ Chris Pierce

Saturday, November 28, 2026 - Grand Ole Opry House - Nashville, TN

Friday, December 4, 2026 - High Tide Getaway 2026 - Cancún, Mexico

Saturday, December 26, 2026 - Grand Ole Opry House - Nashville, TN

Friday, March 5, 2027 - Outlaw Country Cruise 2027 - Miami, FL

About Steve Earle

Steve Earle is widely regarded as one of the most acclaimed singer-songwriters of his generation. As a protege of legendary songwriters Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, he quickly became a master storyteller in his own right. In addition to penning songs for Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Joan Baez, Emmylou Harris, The Pretenders, and many more, 1986 saw him release his debut record as an artist, Guitar Town. The album quickly rose to #1 on country charts and stands as a timeless Americana classic. Meanwhile, his 1988 hit “Copperhead Road” has been named an official state song of Tennessee. He followed up with projects such as The Revolution Starts...Now (2004), Washington Square Serenade (2007), and TOWNES (2009), receiving consecutive GRAMMY® awards. Outside of music, Earle has published a novel, I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive (2011), and a collection of short stories, Dog House Roses (2003). He has appeared as an actor in several films and had recurring roles in the HBO series The Wire and Tremé. In 2009, he appeared in and wrote the score for the off-Broadway play Samara, while he later appeared in and wrote the music for Coal Country, receiving a Drama Desk Award nomination. Earle is also the host of the weekly show Hard Core Troubadour on Sirius Radio’s Outlaw Country channel. Speaking to his impact and influence, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020, while he was honored by the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music in 2023. In 2025, he joined the Grand Ole Opry as its newest member. Using his platform to challenge power and amplify marginalized voices, he is a longtime advocate for social justice, prison reform, and free expression. Ultimately, Earle has carved out a legacy that extends far beyond music itself. 

About The Keswell School

The Keswell School is an educational program for children and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Founded on the belief that children diagnosed with ASD can live full and productive lives as integrated members of their communities, The Keswell School provides educational, therapeutic, and supportive services for children diagnosed with ASD and their families.

About Harper House Music Foundation (HHMF)

HHMF seeks to be an agent of change by facilitating efforts that help artists share their work, lead stable and healthy lives, and preserve their unique legacies. As a public charity, it is centered around grantmaking to organizations serving musicians and investments that address infrastructure and funding gaps, and is dedicated to supporting a diverse music landscape. HHMF has collaborated with and contributed to such vital music nonprofits as the Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie Centers, Americana Music Foundation, Backline, Neal Casal Music Foundation, and Newport Festivals Foundation, while also working with such notable artists as Natalie Merchant, T Bone Burnett, Rosanne Cash, and Rhiannon Giddens. For more information, please visit harperhousemusicfoundation.org

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For more information on Steve Earle, contact Shore Fire Media: steveearlepr@shorefire.com