A Justin Townes Earle Revival in SLC

When Sammy Brue and many of his friends performed together at the Justin Townes Earle Tribute show at The State Room last Friday (Feb. 28, 2025), it was not without its share of magic. Yes, there were frequent chills. We witnessed a collective not trying so hard to recreate the late singer, one that still showed they cared deeply for all he had done. It brought back the electric vibe that folk singer-songwriter left behind and that everyone attending appeared to recall fondly. It was not unlike holding a magnifying glass to all the good parts of who he was.

Justin left a hole behind, and Ogdenite Sammy Brue more than fills that void. A word or emotion that rarely gets attached to a tribute? Earnestness. He had an ever-present smile and a surprisingly solid grasp of all the songs he sang, including brand new tunes he shared, one about his late hero and others created using the journals Justin had written. (The album’s not out yet, but it’s gonna be a scorcher.)

“Ain’t Got No Money” was one of the most outstanding performances I witnessed all night, a tornado of a song that moved with such speed that it was all the players could do to keep up with their banjos and stand-up bass and mouth harps. For a night that started so slow and quietly, it felt like a train coming off its rails toward the tail end, and in a beautiful way. By the time “Harlem River Blues” hit, everyone who’d played and sang took to the stage and celebrated, playing and singing their hearts out, a real Last Waltz moment if it needed one. Job well done, friends. So well done.

It’s unlikely that Justin ever felt like he had to pass his baton to another to finish the career he started. Still, it’s easy to believe he’d be proud of what Sammy has done and is doing. It’s a preview of things to come. This part of the future, at least, is bright.

• What: Justin Townes Earle Tribute Show
• Where: The State Room in Salt Lake City, Utah
• When: 8 p.m., Feb. 28, 2025
• Read more: Our interview with Sammy Brue and Salt Lake Magazine’s Music coverage.

Photo Gallery from Feb. 28, 2025, at The State Room in Salt Lake City, Utah. Photos by Nathan Christianson (Instagram @npcplus.)

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