Smooth Ops pièce de résistance (so far) has been giving Steve Earle a Lifetime Achievement at the age of 49 in 2004. Not that young Mr Earle is not a great songwriter, but given all the venerable UK folkies without the trophy it sticks out like a sore thumb. Other North Americans given the accolade have been Joan Baez, Tom Paxton and Rambling Jack Elliot (and boy did he ramble that night), after slightly longer active careers.