Steve Earle - Copperhead Road May 2026

Released in 1988, "Copperhead Road" became a career-defining hit for Earle, blending bluegrass with heavy rock—a style sometimes called "power twang". It is now one of the .

: Steve Earle has stated that he wrote the lyrics based on a story he read in a newspaper about 12 years prior to the song's release. The article detailed an older woman in her 70s who was arrested in Elizabeth, North Carolina, for growing a large marijuana patch in a "holler". Steve Earle - Copperhead Road

In the context of "paper" most commonly refers to a specific physical edition of the single or the real-world news story that inspired the lyrics. Released in 1988, "Copperhead Road" became a career-defining

: Critics have noted that "on paper," the album should never have been made due to Earle's personal struggles at the time, including his heroin addiction and legal troubles. The article detailed an older woman in her