Steve Earle digs down to the roots to reveal that his music has a soul.  

 The 43-year-old bad boy of country music has lost nothing in the shedding of his much-publicised drug habit.  

 If anything, the loss of the habit -- that saw him incarcerated in 1994 -- has allowed Earle to focus on the very heart of American roots music, a focus he brought to bear before a near full house at the Jack Singer concert hall last night.  

 Unlike the passionless, though sparkly, country pap that proudly wears the name New Country, Earle's music has a pulse and a warmth that resonates with an undeniable, if not inescapable, charm.  

 Opening with a subdued version of Christmas in Washington from his acclaimed El Corazon release, Earle proved his vocal cords to be in the best shape in years.  

 Plowing through his 10-album career, Earle and his backup band, The Dukes, delivered what can easily be termed an exercise in Americana roots rock, with Earle leading his band through one twang-infected, heartache-filled song after another.  

 Drawing upon country, blues, bluegrass and rock, Earle had little time for chat, obviously preferring to let the music speak for itself -- and it did.  

 Opening the show were Buddy and Julie Miller, who served up a set rife with warm, rootsy feel and the pair's infectious vocal delivery.  

 The duo performed some tasty songs gleaned from each other's own albums, ending the set with a couple of barn-burners while backed by the Dukes' rhythm section.