Rodney Crowell

Infobox musical artist
Name = Rodney Crowell


Img_capt = Rodney Crowell at the 1990 Grammy Awards
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name =
Born = birth date and age|1950|8|7
Houston, Texas, USA
Instrument = Vocals
Rhythm guitar
Genre = Country
Occupation = Singer-songwriter
Years_active = 1978-present
Label = Warner Bros., Columbia, MCA, Sugar Hill, Epic, Yep Roc
Associated_acts = Rosanne Cash, Emmylou Harris, The Notorious Cherry Bombs
URL = [http://www.rodneycrowell.com Official Site]

Rodney Crowell (born August 7, 1950) is a Grammy Award-winning musician, known primarily for his work as a singer and songwriter in country music.

Crowell was born in Houston, Texas to James Walter Crowell and Addie Cauzette Willoughby. He is considered to be part of both the alternative country and the mainstream country music campsFact|date=March 2007. He is a contemporary of Steve Earle and, like Earle, was also influenced by the songwriting greats Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt. Rodney played guitar and sang for three years in Emmylou Harris' "Hot Band".

Biography

He was married to Rosanne Cash (daughter of Johnny Cash), from 1979 to 1992 and had a great influence on her career, producing most of her albums during that period. They collaborated on a number of duets, including 1988's "It's Such a Small World." Though Crowell and Cash are now divorced, they remain on friendly terms, performing together occasionally. He married Claudia Church in 1998.

Although best known as a songwriter and alternative country artist, Crowell enjoyed mainstream popularity during the late 1980s and early 1990s. His critically acclaimed album, 1988's "Diamonds & Dirt", produced five No. 1 hits during a 17-month span in 1988 and 1989: "It's Such a Small World" (a duet with Cash), "I Couldn't Leave You If I Tried," "She's Crazy for Leaving," "After All This Time" and "Above and Beyond." His follow-up album, 1989's "Keys to the Highway," produced two top 5 hits in 1990, which were "Many a Long and Lonesome Highway" and "If Looks Could Kill."

As Crowell's popularity in hit-radio country music faded, he continued his prolific songwriting. In 2001, he released "The Houston Kid" on Sugar Hill Records. Many songs on the album were semi-autobiographical, and the album included a duet with Crowell's ex father-in-law Johnny Cash on "I Walk the Line (Revisited)". Initially, Cash was annoyed at Crowell changing the tune to his song, but he came to like the finished product.Fact|date=March 2007 Crowell followed up this effort with "Fate's Right Hand" in 2003 and "The Outsider" in 2005, both of which came out on Columbia Nashville, a division of Sony Music. Leading critics and Crowell consider these three albums his finest work as a solo artist.

2004 saw the release of The Notorious Cherry Bombs, a reunion of Crowell's 1970s road band, which included Vince Gill, Tony Brown and others. The future Keith Urban hit "Making Memories of Us" was included on this disc. In 2005, Crowell served as producer for established Irish singer/songwriter Kieran Goss on the album Blue Sky Sunrise.

In 2008 CMT announced that Crowell's next album, "Sex and Gasoline", would come out on Yep Roc Records, ending his relationship with Sony Music. This marked the first time Crowell did not produce his CD. [ [http://www.cmt.com/news/news-in-brief/1588334/rodney-crowells-new-album-coming-in-september.jhtml CMT : News : Rodney Crowell's New Album Coming in September ] ]

Discography

"For a discography as a member of The Notorious Cherry Bombs, see The Notorious Cherry Bombs."

Albums

;Notes
*A^ Failed to chart.
*B^ "Ashes By Now" also peaked at #37 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
*C^ "What Kind of Love" also peaked at #9 on U.S. Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks.

References

External links

* [http://www.rodneycrowell.com Official Site]
* [http://www.gactv.com/gac/ar_az_rodney_crowell Rodney Crowell's latest bio, news, photo galleries, and Fan Q&A] at Great American Country
* [http://www.oldies.com/artist-biography/Rodney-Crowell.html A brief biography]