Steve Earle and John Henry's Friends Benefit

Summary

---

All Of It – Steve Earle and John Henry's Friends Benefit

Host: Alison Stewart
Guest: Steve Earle
Date: November 27, 2023
Main Focus: Steve Earle discusses the upcoming John Henry’s Friends Benefit Concert for the Keswell School, which serves kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder, including his son John Henry.

---

Episode Overview

This episode centers on service, musical community, and advocacy as Steve Earle joins Alison Stewart to discuss the annual John Henry’s Friends Benefit Concert. Earle shares personal insights about his son John Henry’s experience with autism, the unique strengths of the Keswell School, and the importance of giving back through music and action. The conversation offers a moving look at the intersection of art, family, autism support, and grassroots fundraising.

---

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Introducing the Keswell School (02:58 – 06:40)

• School Background:

  • Originally the McCarten School; renamed Keswell.
  • Located on Stanton Street, NYC; previously in Chelsea.

• Unique Approach:

  • Uses Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), an evidence-based method for autism education.
  • One-to-One Ratio: Every student has an individual teacher; considered essential, not a “luxury.”
  • Caters to the full autism spectrum, including non-verbal children.

• Funding Challenges:

  • Earle notes the high cost and difficulty securing public funding, referencing the federal obligation for public education to fund specialized needs if public schools can’t accommodate them.
  • Public school resources for special needs are strained due to broader trends (e.g., charter/private schools pulling resources).

• Personal Motivation:

  • Earle reflects candidly on the realities of affording specialized care and the importance of well-trained staff.

  Quote:

  “The difference between Keswell and everybody else...is the ratio of teacher to student is one-to-one. Now that is what's recommended. And it's not a luxury, it's not a gold standard...the school adjusts itself to them.”
  – Steve Earle [05:14]

---

2. Impact on John Henry and Other Students (06:40 – 08:45)

• Incremental Progress:

  • Small achievements are monumental (sign language, self-dressing).
  • John Henry doesn’t speak but communicates via sign and shows advanced musical memory (knows 100+ melodies).

• Personal Anecdote:

  • Earle recounts a moment of joy hearing John Henry independently play a classical melody on his iPad, indicating both happiness and development.

  Quote:

  “He just started zipping zippers up on his own. Now, this kid doesn't have any language at all, but he also knows over a hundred melodies that he hums...when I figured out he was happy where he is...I think, as I was cooking dinner one night and he had...his iPad...all of a sudden I hear...[music]...that was the first time I heard him sing one of those melodies.”
  – Steve Earle [07:39]

---

3. The John Henry’s Friends Benefit Concert (08:45 – 11:47)

• Concert Details:

  • Annual event, now in its ninth year.
  • Raises money and awareness for the Keswell School.
  • Hosted by Steve Earle, with rotating high-profile guest artists.

• Atmosphere and Purpose:

  • Audience members consistently leave feeling “warm and hopeful.”
  • Focus on both music and education about autism.
  • School's director, Ivy Feldman, usually speaks briefly.

• Talent & Community:

  • Past guests: Graham Nash, Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Warren Haynes, Bruce Springsteen, David Byrne, Terry Allen, Amy Helm.
  • Matt Savage, a jazz pianist with autism, performs and teaches workshops at the school.
  • Emphasis on the concert as both fundraiser and celebration of neurodiverse achievement.

  Quote:

  “People have turned up for this...last year, David Byrne and Terry Allen. It's been really...we've been really lucky. People feel pretty good when, you know, knowing Matt's story and hearing him play the way that he does.”
  – Steve Earle [10:53]

---

4. Gratitude and Support Networks (11:47 – 12:09)

• Earle thanks City Winery, Michael Dorf, and the broader New York music community for ongoing logistical and production support.

• Stresses that the event’s success relies on a collaborative local network.

  Quote:

  “I gotta thank City Winery because they help us put these shows together every year...they do a lot of good with a lot of music and a lot of events around New York City...”
  – Steve Earle [11:47]

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• One-to-One Teaching:

  “The ratio is one to one. That's what's recommended. And that's because of the fundamental difference in the way that children and older people with autism learn. It's just a completely different deal for people with sensory processing disorders.”
  – Steve Earle [05:43]

• Moments of Growth:

  “It's such small moves, you know, with kids with autism because of the way that they learn...when he started picking up some signs to communicate...he's just started zipping zippers up on his own.”
  – Steve Earle [06:50]

• The Show’s Magic:

  “We try to make it...a good show for folks and...talk about autism. We also have Matt Savage, who's been on most of the shows...an incredible jazz pianist who also happens to have autism.”
  – Steve Earle [10:18]

---

Important Timestamps

• 02:58 – 06:40: Earle explains Keswell School’s model and public funding challenges.
• 06:40 – 08:45: Personal examples of John Henry’s progress.
• 08:45 – 11:47: The concert’s evolution, guest artists, and community impact.
• 11:47 – 12:09: Gratitude to City Winery and production supporters.

---

Tone & Style Notes

Steve Earle speaks with candor, warmth, and advocacy, weaving personal anecdotes with broader systemic observations. The episode is earnest and optimistic, balancing challenges with stories of hope and resilience. Alison Stewart’s thoughtful prompts allow Earle to delve into meaningful specifics without losing sight of the bigger community context.

---

Summary Takeaway

This episode offers a compelling look at why, and how, culture-makers like Steve Earle are mobilizing music, storytelling, and community for causes they believe in—showing the human face of autism and the transformative potential of steadfast, creative advocacy. It’s a must-listen for anyone interested in music, education, autism support, or the power of giving back.

Transcript

[Bix Soleil Advertiser]

Surprise Beach Day. No excuses. I'm in. Gimme five. With Bix Soleil Glide Razor, you'll have hydrated, smooth skin that's ready to go on the fly. No shave cream needed. You can prep, shave and hydrate all in one step thanks to moisture bars that hydrate your skin during and after shaving. 5 flexible blades hug your skin for a close shave. Glide into smooth. It's your time to shine with bixsolil. Buy now at Amazon and Walmart. Ready? Your skin looks amazing. So smooth and beach ready.

[Steve Earle]

Let's go.

[Marshall's Advertiser]

Hey Fidelity what's it cost to invest with the Fidelity app?

[Interviewer]

Start with as little as $1 with no account fees or trade commissions on US stocks and ETFs.

[Marshall's Advertiser]

That's music to my ears.

[Interviewer]

I can only talk.

[Fidelity Advertiser]

Investing involves risk, including risk of loss. Zero Account fees apply to retail brokerage accounts only. Sell order assessment fee not included. A limited number of ETFs are subject to a transaction based service fee of $100. See full list at fidelity. Com Commissions Fidelity Brokerage Services llc Member NYSE SIPC.

[McDonald's Advertiser]

I' ma put you on nephew.

[Steve Earle]

All right unc.

[Interviewer]

Welcome to McDonald's. Can I take your order miss?

[McDonald's Advertiser]

I've been hitting up McDonald's for years. Now it's back. We need snack wraps. What's a snack wrap? It's the return of something great. Snack wrap is back.

[Marshall's Advertiser]

Oh my gosh. Have you been to Marshall's lately? They have all the brand name and designer pieces you love, but without the jaw dropping price tags. Alright, so here's the truth. You should never have to compromise between quality and price. And at Marshalls, you don't have to. Marshall's believes everyone deserves access to the good stuff and that's why their buyers hustle around the clock to make it happen for you. Visit a Marshalls store near you or shop [e-mail].

[Steve Earle]

Listener supported WNYC studios.

[Fidelity Advertiser]

This.

[Alison Stewart]

Is all of it from WNYC. I'm Alison Stewart. For the rest of this hour we're going to talk about ways to give back on this eve of giving. Tuesday, we're starting with Steve Earle in a benefit concert for a Lower east side school for kids with Autism Spectrum disorder. Earl is hosting the show at Town hall on Sunday, December 3rd with special guest performer John Mellencar Camp and some other folks. It's called the John Henry Friends Benefit Concert. John Henry is Earl's son who attends the Keswell School on Stanton Street. Earl's been hosting this benefit for nine years and as one person tweeted I have my tickets. Looking forward to it. This is my third year in a row. Always a great show. Earl is a playwright, actor, musician, former get lit musical guest and as the Guardian wrote, quote, one of the great singer songwriters of the past four decades. He joins me now. Nice to see you, Steve.

[Steve Earle]

How are you?

[Alison Stewart]

I'm good. So the Keswell school opened in 2002. It's now on Stanton Street. For someone who's never heard of it, how do you describe this school?

[Steve Earle]

It's, it originally was the McCarten School. The name changed for several reasons several years back. We were originally in Chelsea and it is the, as far as I know, the only school that, that offers an ABA based, you know, Applied Behavioral Analysis. That, that which is, it's the oldest, most proven statistically way of treating folks with autism. Now there are other ways to approach it, other schools that do that. I think it's, I think for some kids it's probably appropriate at some point in their life for some, some other way of teaching them to be applied. But for my son it was, I was sort of against it. I wanted something a little freer and a little less regimented. But it proved to be the best. What, what worked the best for him. He's been at Caswell since he was three, as long as he's been old enough. He's now 13 and he'll be there probably until he turns 22, which is when he ages out unless something occurs that, that we think there's a better place for them and the better way to approach it. But the difference between Kessel and everybody else. There are other ABA based schools. I think it's the only one in the United States and it might be the only one in the world which, which, which offers what, what is recommended by all of the experts or most of the experts about treating kids with profound autism. In other words, especially kids that are non verbal. There are kids on every, you know, bit of the spectrum at Caswell and the school adjusts itself to, to them because it's able to do that because the ratio of teacher to student is one to one. Wow. Now that is what's recommended. And it's not a luxury, it's not a gold standard. I go through that with the city sometimes when we're trying to get this funded because it's a lot of money. I don't have as much money as a lot of people probably think I do. I've been married too many times to have accumulated very much. But John Henry was born in New York City. So basically there's a federal law that says if your public school system cannot provide what is recommended for your child for their special need, then the school system is obligated to provide the funds for that. Now the rub is, most of the places in the country, the funds simply do not exist because everything's going away to everything from charter schools to private schools. People that have any money at all can figure out how to do it or taking their kids out of the public school system. And it's been starving the public school system and across the country to death for years. New York has one of the very best public school systems, you know, in the country. And that's. And that's still true compared to everything else. But for special needs, it takes a lot of money. And I'm not talking about one to one, like a teacher and three teachers, assistants who are making minimum wage. And that's no, no offense to the people that do that, because a lot of them, people in John Henry's lives, people that I use for childcare, come from that description from other schools around you, just to redefine people that are qualified to take care of a child with autism. It's not that easy to do, as anybody that's been down this road knows. But the ratio is one to one. That's what's recommended. And that's because of the fundamental difference in the way that children and older people with autism learn. It's just a completely different deal for people with sensory processing disorders.

[Interviewer]

What's a moment you knew when this school had made a huge difference in your son's education life? I'm sure there's many, but just one small example for people, they happen all the time.

[Steve Earle]

And it's such small moves, you know, with kids with autism because of the way that they learn. But I think just when he started picking up some signs to communicate with and he doesn't have one language, for him, that's been the hardest part is his outward, you know, him, him speaking to us. I think he understands a lot of what we say. But I think when he started developing a few signs and using them independently to get the most of the points he learned early had to do with eating. And that's what he figured that out. We've been really fortunate with him that he'll eat almost anything, which a lot of kids with autism have problems with that and that I feel bad for those folks. And he's just, you know, there's been, there's been moments when he did. It's little Bitty things. Like, he's dressing himself pretty much independently. He still can't tie shoes. He's. He just. He's just started zipping zippers up on his own. Now, this kid doesn't have any language at all, but he also knows over a hundred melodies that he. That he hums all these different melodies. And he had classical, baby, like everybody else did, and he's like, you know. But when I figured out that he was happy where he is and, you know, and that we were on the right track, I think as I was cooking dinner one night and he had. Sitting there on his iPad, and all of a sudden I hear, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun. And that was the first time I heard him sing one of those melodies that I knew came from, you know, a classical music app that's on his bed that he found himself navigating the iPad. He also finds things that I'd probably rather he didn't watch, like YouTube videos of cars running over things that other kids. But he's found those things independently, just like other kids have. And so I think we're definitely getting somewhere.

[Interviewer]

My guest is Steve Earle. We're going to talk about the John Henry Friends benefit concert for the Keswell school. It's happening December 3rd at Town Hall. The Keswell School helps autistic children. So, you know, someone described leaving this concert feeling warm and hopeful. That's what people feel. What happens at these concerts that people leave with those feelings?

[Steve Earle]

Oh, I mean, we try to let them know, you know, introduce them to this whole idea. Ivy Feldman, who's the. The. The director at the school, she speaks. And we don't spend a lot of time. We basically direct people to material about the school as much as we can and spend as much time on music. People bought a ticket. We. We appreciate it. You know, we've had. We've been really lucky the first year, you know, we had like, you know, Graham Nash suited up and showed up the first year, and Teacher, Teacher Children's been, you know, our. Our finale ever since. And I. I did ask him directly if. If it was okay with him if I did that, but Emmy Lou Harris, Lucinda Williams, at the same time, they're friends and friends of mine. And so that was a good Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi and, you know, and Warren Haynes, Allman Brothers ended. And so a lot of people showed up for that. And I asked every year, and then we finally got him. Year before Lastbury Springsteen suited up and showed up, and it was. It was the first performance that he had done with in front of a band in, like, over four years. And he. He got very excited about it. And the next thing we knew was out on the road and. And he had a blast. And my band, you know, rose to the occasion. And last year, David Byrne and Terry Allen. It's been. It's been really. We've been really lucky. People have turned up for this. And. And Roseanne was on the year that Bruce was on. Rose and John were. And. And it's. She's known John Henry, you know, all of his life. So it's, you know, people, we. We try to make it, you know, we try to put up a good show for folks and. And we. We talk about autism. We also have Matt Savage, who's been on most of the shows. He's here this year. Matt, the other guests, the other folks that you mentioned are Amy Helm, who's also known John Henry all of his life. And we have a house in Woodstock. When John Henry was born, Allison and I did, and he. So she was. There's a lot of people in Woodstock that know John Henry as long as he's been on the planet. So Amy. Amy's on this year. And Matt Savage, who is an incredible jazz pianist who also happens to have autism, and he's taught, you know, like, workshops at the KE School off and on over the years. And he's. He's pretty amazing. And I think people feel pretty good when, you know, knowing Matt's story and hearing him play the way that he does.

[Interviewer]

It's all happening on Sunday, December 3, at the town Hall. John Henry Friends benefit concert for the Keswell School. You can see all those folks and Steve Earl perform for a good cause. Steve, thank you for being with us.

[Steve Earle]

I gotta thank City Winery because they help us put these shows together every year. And from the beginning, they produce the shows and they, you know, those folks have, you know, they do a lot of good with a lot of music and a lot of events around New York City and have for a long time. And so. So I have to thank Michael Dorf and everybody at City Winery.

[Interviewer]

Good luck with the concert. Have a great show. Raise a lot of money.

[Steve Earle]

Right?

[McDonald's Advertiser]

I'm gonna put you on, nephew.

[Steve Earle]

All right.

[Interviewer]

Welcome to McDonald's. Can I take your order, miss?

[McDonald's Advertiser]

I've been hitting up McDonald's for years. Now it's back. We need snack wraps. What's a snack wrap? It's the return of something great. Snackwrap is back.

[Marshall's Advertiser]

Oh, my gosh. Have you been to Marshall's lately. They have all the brand name and designer pieces you love, but without the jaw dropping price tags. Alright, so here's the truth. You should never have to compromise between quality and price. And at Marshall's, you don't have to. Marshall's believes everyone deserves access to the good stuff and that's why their buyers hustle around the clock to make it happen for you. Visit a Marshalls store near you or shop online at marshalls. Com.