Former Big Issue vendor on inspiring Sam Fender: 'It was just me and Sam. It was a teary moment'

Earl John Charlton was a Big Issue vendor for many years. He’s now working and housed and thriving – and was namechecked on his good friend Sam Fender’s Mercury Prize-winning album People Watching this year.  

Charlton first met Fender five years ago this month and his story moved the popular singer-songwriter to tears. They’ve since become close, the singer describing Earl as “a diamond, a true hero, a man of the people”, and using his platform to support Big Issue and advocate for people experiencing poverty and homelessness ever since.  

On the song Crumbling Empire, Fender sings: “Earl was a kid when they threw him out / Living on the streets down Camden town. Under the arches, strung right out / In a crumbling empire. Twenty-five years on crack and dope / Begging to pay for synthetic hope / Just another kid failed by these blokes / And their crumbling empire.” 

Hearing the song during a night out with Fender and his band for the first time is just one of many highlights for Charlton, during a year that has seen him expand his horizons, travel abroad for the first time, share his story – which also featured in 2024 film Someone’s Daughter, Someone’s Son – act as a pillar of the local creative community and continue to help people facing similar issues that he battled for many years.   

What have been your personal standout moments of 2025?

There have been a lot. Do you know about Sam Fender and the song he wrote about me?

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We do – can you tell us about the first time you heard the song?

It’s quite a funny story. At the beginning of the year, we were at the Low Lights Tavern, which is the band’s local in North Shields. I was chatting away with Brooke [Bentham, singer] and Joe [Atkinson, keyboards] and Dean [Thompson, guitar] were there. I was having some north-south divide banter with Brooke, because she’s from South Shields, where I’m from. She tapped Sam on the arm and asked if he’d told me about the song yet. Sam went, would you like to hear it? He had a recording on his phone, but there were people all around and we couldn’t hear properly so we went up the hill to listen.

That sounds intense…

It was just me and Sam at the top of the hill at Brewhouse Bank. When we listened to Crumbling Empire, it was a teary little moment. I had a lump in my throat. We both gave each other a big hug. We are close, not just friends, there is a real emotional connection. The lyrics were based on something I’d spoken to Sam about a couple of years earlier. And he’d remembered it all. And that meant a lot to me. He’s a true friend. A good lad. And now he’s immortalized me in a way, you know?

Read more:

• Sam Fender: Culture wars undermine working class support for Labour
• What happened when Sam Fender helped out at his local food bank?
• Sam Fender: ‘A lot of people don’t like the idea they might be privileged’

You’ve also been on your travels this year?

Sam and his band paid for me to go to Amsterdam in March – it was my first ever time abroad. I never even had a passport until last year. When I told Sam, he said, do you want to come to Europe for one of our gigs? Of course I did! It was the day after Newcastle United beat Liverpool and won the League Cup, and I got on the DFDS Ferry from North Shields and spent three days there. It was amazing, taking in the architecture, vibe and the socialising of Amsterdam.

How did you feel when Sam won the Mercury Music Prize?

It was very special – and in Newcastle as well. I think Sam’s table was the only one with people dancing on the table. It was great. Then we went up to Edinburgh to see his gig there. I’m in the crowd with my pals, and as soon as Crumbling Empire comes on, they all look at me as if they want to give me a big hug. Because they know the story behind the lyrics is quite deep and dark – because by the law of averages, I shouldn’t be here. I nearly died three times through drug overdoses, I nearly lost my leg twice, but I’m still here. And I’m here for a reason.

And you’ve been talking about that this year?

I’m now employed by Northumbria University. I’ve even got a title instead of a bill sheet. I’m a Professional by Lived Experience. Last year, they created this degree called a social work apprenticeship degree and they wanted people with lived experience to be part of it. I met a guy called Hellmuth [Weich, assistant professor] who did a talk with us at the YMCA when I was working there. We got to know each other, and when he heard more of my backstory, asked if I’d come to talk with some students. I did that as a one off and I got paid. Then they wanted me to do it regularly. The students watch my film [Someone’s Daughter, Someone’s Son, directed by Lorna Tucker] then they fire questions at me. And I talk about my experience. I’m hoping they’ll become better social workers than I had back in 1991. Because some of the failings are still the same, in the way they look out for care leavers.

Any more firsts this year?

I had my first time ever on a plane. I went to Berlin for a few days for the European Housing First Conference in Berlin. Housing First was started in America in the 1990s and has become a blueprint across Europe. Because the film gained some traction, and Housing First is a part of it, I was asked to go. The main thing for me was representing the 350,000 homeless people back in the UK. One of the leaders of Housing First in Sweden came over and they’ve asked me to give a talk over there next year too. So all this blood, sweat and tears is paying off. People are starting to listen to those of us with lived experience, which is really important. You can study and have all the qualifications, but unless you have put that needle in the arm, the crack pipe to your lips, or walked in my shoes, you can’t fully relate to the situation.

Any plans to see Sam soon?

Hopefully when he gets back from Australia. I see his brother Liam more often at the moment because Sam’s such a busy lad. Liam is a musician too, he’s brilliant – totally different genre, but he’s putting his album out soon and it’s great. I opened his single release shows with my spoken word.

What are your hopes for 2026?

I do open mic nights. I’ve organically created something that’s become a bit of a monster – it’s called Voice Notes at the Loading Bay. And now we have emerging talent coming through and one of them, Christian, has just been headhunted by Britain’s Got Talent and is through to the third round. So that’s a proud moment – and we will be doing more in the early spring. 

Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this? Get in touch and tell us more. 

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