Steve Earle & the Dukes/SG: The Mastersons

After years of touring and recording as a solo artist, singer-songwriter Steve Earle finally reunited with his kick-ass band the Dukes in 2011 and has been going strong ever since. The outspoken Earle — he's a big opponent of the death penalty and wasn't shy about showing his allegiance to the Occupy movement — is an alt-country icon whose career stretches back to the '70s when he used to play in Guy Clark's band. His catalog goes back decades, and he still plays anthemic fan favs such as "Copperhead Road" and "Guitar Town." (Niesel)