Article Contributed by New West Records
Published on 2026-05-14
Steve Earle & Steve Buscemi | Photo: Gabriel Barreto
Steve Earle and Steve Buscemi spotlight New York City’s immigrant spirit in the new music video for “City of Immigrants.”
Today, Grammy award-winning singer, songwriter, author, actor, and activist Steve Earle released the music video for “City of Immigrants,” directed by acclaimed actor, filmmaker, and longtime New Yorker Steve Buscemi. Shot in New York City, the video captures the resilience, diversity, and everyday humanity of immigrant communities across the five boroughs. Watch here.
The “City of Immigrants” video offers a vivid, street-level portrait of the city as a living mosaic of cultures, and Buscemi grounds the song’s message in real faces and lived experiences.
Originally released on Earle’s 2007 album Washington Square Serenade, “City of Immigrants,” featuring New York-based Brazilian ensemble Forró in the Dark, stands as a powerful folk tribute to the immigrant experience and the generations of newcomers who continue to shape American identity.
Nearly two decades later, the song’s message resonates with renewed urgency. As immigration remains at the forefront of national conversation, the video arrives as both a protest and a celebration, underscoring the essential role immigrants play in defining the American story, particularly in a city like New York.
Steve Buscemi says, “Being asked to direct a new video of Steve Earle’s ‘City of Immigrants’ was a true gift, not only for me, but for the people of New York City that this song movingly celebrates. I have long respected Steve Earle as an artist, and I was particularly motivated by this song as it speaks to the current situation in our country in a uniquely inspiring way.”
Asked why he wanted to make a new video of the song, Steve Earle said, “Well, Bruce released ‘Streets of Minneapolis,’ Tom Morello WENT to Minneapolis and Bruce showed up there, and I’m home in New York and I’m like, get off your ass, Earle!”
Steve Earle recently marked the 40th anniversary of his landmark debut album Guitar Town and announced Steve Earle: Fifty-One Years of Songs and Stories, an expansive North American tour spanning more than 70 dates across the U.S. and Canada from February through November. In select cities that previously hosted his “51” concept performances, Earle will present entirely new setlists and special programming.
Widely regarded as a true cultural “Renaissance Man,” Earle has left a mark on not only music, but also literature, film, theater, radio, and the world at large. Just last month, he won “Best Regional Roots Music Album” at the 68th Grammy Awards for A Tribute to the Kin of Zydeco, featuring his version of “Just Like A Woman” with Anthony Dopsie. He stands out as the Grand Ole Opry’s newest member and a Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, while the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music honored him in 2023.
Beyond his artistic achievements, Earle remains a dedicated advocate for social causes, including autism awareness. He continues to host and curate the annual John Henry’s Friends Benefit Concert, now in its 11th year.
Washington Square Serenade is available via New West Records.
