Make plans to join us in the record store on Friday, January 16th at 5:00 PM when we’ll be joined by Rolling Stone journalist Jonathan Bernstein and Nashville based music writer Marissa Moss to celebrate the release of Bernstein’s new book, What Do You Do When You’re Lonesome: The Authorized Biography of Justin Townes Earle. Bernstein will read from and briefly discuss the book with Moss before signing copies for attendees. We’ll also be joined by Nashville’s own Dustin Welch, Sammy Brue, Tristan and Andrew Combs who will perform songs by JTE for the occasion.

When Justin Townes Earle died of an overdose alone in his Nashville apartment, his death sent waves of grief through the country-Americana music community. The son of alt-country hellraiser Steve Earle had long struggled with mental illness and various addictions. There had been encouraging periods of long-term sobriety and active recovery in his adult life, including the years that led up to his career peak when he released the 2010 masterpiece Harlem River Blues, a career-making album of rambling folk blues set to Southern Gospel.

He sang of cramped Brooklyn apartments and crippling hangovers, about emotional displacement, economic anxiety, and the wandering that characterized his feral, formative years as a rootless kid rambling around Nashville, developing his own unique guitar style and absorbing the musical influences that surrounded him. He was anointed by critics as the next coming of the authentic troubadour. By the time of his death, he’d recorded and released eight albums, creating a striking and original body of work.

Jonathan Bernstein, with the full cooperation of the Justin Townes Earle estate, unravels in these pages a short but incredibly creative life, and reveals the backstories behind Justin’s greatest songs (“Mama’s Eyes,” “White Gardenias”) and what happened when it all fell apart while also capturing a shadow world of the neglected children of Nashville legends who wrestle with the legacies of their hard-living, road-weary, often absent parents.

Justin’s journey to near-stardom is a harrowing story shot through with moments of clarity and promise, including his marriage to his wife Jenn Marie Earle and the birth of their daughter. But what Earle called “the myth”—the idea that one must suffer for one’s art—proved to be too powerful.

Due out 1/12/2026, autographed copies of What Do You Do When You're Lonesome: The Authorized Biography of Justin Townes Earle is available to preorder. Preorders for the book are limited to four (4) total per customer / household. For each album preordered, you’ll receive one wristband such that two books preordered = two wristbands, etc. Author Jonathan Bernstein will sign up to four copies of his book per wristbanded customer. All who place preorders in advance will receive an email with preorder pickup and event details on or by the day before our event.

Event orders may be picked up at Grimey’s on the day of our event, Friday, January 16th.

All who preorder​ What Do You Do When You're Lonesome: The Authorized Biography of Justin Townes Earle in advance of January 16th will receive an email with preorder pickup and event details. Meanwhile please reach out to us if you have any questions about our event or preorder: grimeys.records (at) gmail.com.

Preorders placed for mail order will start shipping out from Grimey’s after our event on Friday, 1/16/2026.

*Preorders for store pickup will be held for three months after release date. Please pick up your What Do You Do When You're Lonesome: The Authorized Biography of Justin Townes Earle preorder no later than April 16th.