TO BENEFIT KESWELL SCHOOL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HARPER HOUSE MUSIC FOUNDATION

The Waterboys ft Steve Earle:
GRAMMY Award-winning singer, songwriter, author, actor and activist Steve Earle brings the 12th Annual John Henry’s Friends Benefit, featuring the only North American performance of The Waterboys’ Fisherman’s Blues Revue, to The Capitol Theatre on Friday, December 11.

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.

“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 net 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 Williams and 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 and David Rawlings, Hot Tuna, Victoria Williams, Molly Tuttle, Buddy Miller and more. Tickets for all upcoming tour dates here.