Easton was raised in Akron, Ohio, forming the band Kosher Spears while at college. He traveled abroad for a time, busking in London, Paris, Spain, Italy, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and Ireland.
The Haynes Boys
On his return to the US in the mid-1990s, Easton joined the Haynes Boys with Freddie Free, Jovan Karcic, and Aaron Rice. In 1996, they released their only album Haynes Boys. On June 23, 2015 Re-Vinyl Records reissued the album on vinyl with the originally intended cover art and updated liner notes. The band kicked off a series of shows on June 25, 2015 in Columbus, Ohio, culminating with a June 28 show at the ComFest community festival in Columbus.
Solo career
When the members of the Haynes Boys split to pursue individual projects, Easton recorded his 1998 debut album Special 20 on Heathen Records, a label launched by Easton and his manager Blake Squires. He subsequently relocated to California, and signed a deal with EMI Publishing and a record deal with New West Records. In 2001, he released The TruthAbout Us on which he was supported by Ken Coomer, John Sirratt, and Jay Bennett, all of Wilco. Released in 2003, Break Your Mother's Heart featured Mike Campbell, Jim Keltner, Jai Winding, Greg Leisz, and Jilann O’Neill. Ammunition was released in 2006. Lucinda Williams and Tift Merritt contributed harmony vocals, and Gary Louris produced three tracks. 2009 saw the release of Porcupine which featured Sam Brown, Matt Surgeson, and Kenny Vaughan. Since 1966 was a primarily solo acoustic album released in 2011 and featuring 11 previously unreleased songs. Also released in 2011, Beat the Band included Aaron Lee Tasjan, Mark Stepro, and Alex Livingstone. In 2013, Easton released Not Cool which he began recording after he moved back to Nashville and was inspired by a show at Robert’s Western World. He described the album as “kind of a 50′s, Sun Studio thing, kind of a rock and roll thing.” For American Fork, released in 2016, Easton went into the studio with multi-instrumentalist and producerPatrick Damphier, who has worked with Jessica Lea Mayfield and The Mynabirds. The record was almost entirely recorded live with Jon Radford, Michael Rinne, Robbie Crowell, Russ Pahl, and Larissa Maestro. Maestro, Megan Palmer, Ariel Bui, and Emma Berkey provided vocal harmonies.
Easton Stagger Phillips
In 2007, Easton joined Leeroy Stagger and Evan Phillips, performing as Easton, Stagger, Phillips. Easton and Stagger initially performed in 2008 as support acts for Phillips' band The Whipsaws. The group released One For The Ditch, on Rebeltone Records, in 2008. Their second album Resolution Road was released in 2014.
Cold and Bitter Tears: The Songs of Ted Hawkins, released in late 2015 on Austin-based Eight 30 Records, features Easton's recording of Hawkins' song "One Hundred Miles."
Personal life
Easton has one daughter, and lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
Discography
Solo studio
1998: Special 20
2001: The Truth About Us
2003: Break Your Mother's Heart
2006: Ammunition
2009: Porcupine
2011: Since 1966, Volume 1
2013: Not Cool
2016: American Fork
2018: Paco & the Melodic Polaroids
2019: Exposition
Solo live
2008: Live at Water Canyon
Compilations
2013: Before the Revolution: The Best of Tim Easton 1998-2011