steve earle

The music business is a high-stakes, high-risk venture, and it's not unusual for things to wind up in court.

"Old friends, they shine like diamonds..."

No doubt -- Earle has written some truly iconic songs.

Earle, Tom Petty's ex-wife, the Tupac Shakur estate and the bands Hole and Soundgarden filed a class-action lawsuit over the 2008 fire that damaged or destroyed as many as 500,000 master recordings held by Universal Music Group (UMG).

Steve Earle will be performing in Anthem at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Sioux City August 23, 2019.

Some of its biggest stars -- yes, even the ones who sing drinking songs -- are sober.

"I can't separate myself from Guy Clark ... I've never been able to."

"No way I could get out of doing this record!"

They may be stars now, but some of country music's most popular performers really paid their dues in their early days.

Country singers are known for being storytellers -- trying to spin meaning out of heartbreak and hard times.