"Guitar Town" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Steve Earle. It was released in June 1986 as the second single and title track from the album Guitar Town. The song reached number 7 on both the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.[2] It was Earle's highest-peaking song to date on the country charts in both the U.S. and Canada. The album version mentions a "Jap guitar", which the radio edit changes to "cheap guitar".

"Guitar Town"
Single by Steve Earle
from the album Guitar Town
B-side""Little Rock 'N' Roller"
ReleasedJune 2, 1986
Genrecountry rock, rockabilly[1]
Length2:33
LabelMCA
Songwriter(s)Steve Earle
Producer(s)Emory Gordy Jr., Tony Brown
Steve Earle singles chronology
"Hillbilly Highway"
(1986)
"Guitar Town"
(1986)
"Someday"
(1986)

Critical reception edit

Kip Kirby, of Billboard magazine reviewed the song favorably, saying that Earle "revives the tremolo-laden guitar sound of the early '60s for this song about music and love on the road."[3]

Music video edit

The music video was directed by Gerry Wenner and premiered in mid-1986.

Chart performance edit

Chart (1986) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[4] 7
Canadian RPM Country Tracks 7

References edit

  1. ^ Conrad, Karen (2016). "Steve Earle - Guitar Town". In Dimery, Robert (ed.). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. London: Cassell Illustrated. p. 558.
  2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 113.
  3. ^ Billboard, June 7, 1986
  4. ^ "Steve Earle Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.