One of America's greatest songwriters comes to Oxford on Saturday. Steve Earle appears at the Carling Academy with his wife, Allison Moorer, as part of a UK tour.

A protégé of legendary songwriters Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, Earle quickly became a master storyteller in his own right, with his songs being recorded by Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, The Pretenders, Joan Baez and countless others.

The year 1986 saw the release of his debut album, Guitar Town, which topped the country charts and helped establish the term New Country. But by the time of his 1990 album, The Hard Way, drugs were seriously affecting him. After rehabilitation he released two albums within 18 months. The acoustic Train A Comin' was nominated for the Best Contemporary Folk Album Grammy Award in 1996. This was followed by the politically charged Jerusalem and the Grammy Award winner The Revolution Starts . . . Now in 2004.

Since setting up his own record label, he has been able to follow his own artistic direction, rather than being constrained by the Nashville sound. This has led to experimentation with a range of styles from country and bluegrass to folk and hard rock.

After a three-year break from recording, Earle, who is often described as the Hardcore Troubadour, released Washington Square Serenade in October.

The long-time Nashville resident, Earle has called New York home for the past year. Recorded at New York's legendary Electric Lady Studios, the introspective album is inspired by the city. The album celebrates New York's diversity with City of Immigrants, featuring the band Forro In The Dark. Allison Moorer joins him on the tender duet Days Aren't Long Enough, which they co-wrote.

His broad talents have seen him in the television drama The Wire, for which he has recorded Tom Waits's Way Down in The Hole as the series theme song and is included on Washington Square Serenade, as well as writing plays and short stories.

For tickets for the concert, which starts at 7pm, call 0844 477 2000.