Justin Townes Earle and Jeff Gill

See this guy?

I wouldn't know who he was if it wasn't for this guy

This is Jeff Gill

Jeff is my sister's cute, talented boyfriend who has excellent taste in music (and they should get married and have cute babies with raspy voices, but I digress...)

 (When Abby emailed me these pictures from the show this one was entitled "Jeff''s Cheek")

Anyway, Jeff here introduced me to Justin up there and I will forever be in his debt for that one ---

because last night I got to see one of the greatest concerts of my life.

Justin Townes Earle played the Kent Stage and ohmygoodness!

We had amazing seats (yes, this pregnant lady got to sit!) center stage, 4th row back. Justin played with a violinist and an upright bass player (which, by the way, whenever I see a female upright bass player I'm always waiting for her to jump up on the bass and play standing on top of it like Sugar always did in Lords of the Highway, but I digress some more...)

Justin also played a lot of solo stuff and let me tell you, he knocked my socks right off.

Talent oozes from this guy. And not just that, he has an amazing stage presence, pure chemistry with his audience and most importantly gives one of the most honest performances I have ever seen.

Before he started playing he gave an often hilarious, and always blatently straightforward introduction to each song telling the audience a bit about the back story behind it and why he wrote it,

things like...

"Now, if you're up to speed on me, you know by now that I like drugs..."

"I'm gonna tell you a story about this girl from Georgia, now this girl was straight up white trash..."

and

"I'm glad you all like Harlem River Blues, but I'm f****** sick of it..."

But beyond the funny he also had his serious moments - stories about his parents and his late grandfather, love, heartbreak and his struggle to stay sober.

He played with heart, energy and raw unbridled talent like I have never seen

It was nearly perfect.

and if you ever find yourself with an opportunity to see him perform, don't walk, run there