Steve Earle: I'm doing a job invented by Bob Dylan

Rabble-rousing godfather of alternative country music, Steve Earle, will return to Birmingham's Symphony Hall on Monday with his highly celebrated, electric live band The Dukes.

The three-time Grammy award-winner is a master storyteller, and his songs have been recorded by Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Waylon Jennings, Travis Tritt, The Pretenders, Joan Baez and countless others.

He grew up near San Antonio, in Texas, and began learning the guitar at the age of 11 before releasing his first EP in 1982 and following-up with his breakthrough album, Guitar Town, in 1986. He has subsequently released 13 albums and appeared in film and TV, written a novel, a play and a book of short stories.

He will be playing songs from his most recent album, The Low Highway, as well as other highlights from throughout his career.

His career has been chequered and he has spent time in jail for drugs and weapons offences. In 1994, he entered a drug treatment programme in Hendersonville, Tennessee.

Earle has recently appeared in Treme, an American TV series, as Harley Wyatt, a talented street musician who mentors Annie Tee. That role helped to inspire songs on his latest record.

He said: "All the things affect each other. For the most part my records have either a primarily musical or primarily literary impetus.

Earle believes he has a great debt of gratitude to some of the world's greatest singer/songwriters.

"I'm writing on the road, and it became about what I was seeing out of my window as I travelled around North America last year. And the world too, because times are hard all over world. It suddenly dawned on me that I do a job that was invented by Bob Dylan.

"It was based on his fascination with Woody Guthrie, and everybody's fascination with Woody in the circle he was in.

"All those guys, Dylan, Dave Van Ronk, Tom Paxton, y'know."