Along with Chris LeDoux and Charlie Robison, Rodney Crowell was one of my earliest introductions to indie country. A buddy of mine from college came back from a summer internship with a record company raving about I Walk the Line Revisited. Last year I featured Crowell’s song Telephone Road, from his 2001 album The Houston Kid. I am happy to feature some new music. (Crowell was also one of the young turk songwriters who would hit Nashville and provide much of the motive force behind the outlaw country movement; he’s been around for a while.)
Out yesterday: TEXAS by Rodney Crowell.
And what a cool project it is. The songs are Texas-centric and feature collaborations from some Texas country hall of famers. Trigger from Saving Country Music can say it better than I can:
This won’t just be a Texas record in name. The album is said to embrace the musical legacy of the Lone Star State, from twangy two-stepping country songs, to cowboy ballads, to blues rockers embracing the roadhouse influence of Texas music, to even spoken word tracks and songs filled with Texas history. All but four of the 11 tracks will include guest appearances.
Those collaborators include Willie Nelson, Billie Gibbons from ZZ Top, and Steve Earle. Yeah, this is an album worth checking out. Plus, the first music video Crowell released was for a song called “Flatland Hillbillies.” Yup, a whole bunch of us made our way down those hillbilly highways to Houston and other parts of Texas. Just ask Steve Earle.
Flatland Hillbilly (feat. Lee Ann Womack & Randy Rogers)
56 Fury (feat. Billy Gibbons)
You can order TEXAS from Amazon today!
Out today is Made in America by Tracy Lawrence.
More upcoming releases:
While I’m Livin by Tanya Tucker – August 23
Okie by Vince Gill – August 23
Love & The Dark by Jason Hawk Harris – August 23
Songs From The Exile by Dalton Domino – August 23
Laid Back (Remastered & Expanded) by Gregg Allman – August 30
Fillmore West ’71 by The Allman Brothers – September 6
Cover Your Tracks by Corb Lund – September 13
Fried Chicken & Evil Women by Vincent Neil Emerson – September 13
Whiskey Myers by Whiskey Myers – September 27
Heartache Medication by John Pardi – September 27
HOME by Billy Strings – September 27
Seems Like Tears Ago by Jason James – October 4
Almost Daylight by Chris Knight – October 11
After The Fire by Cody Jinks – October 11
Wildcard by Miranda Lambert – November 1
You can find every video featured for New Music Friday here.
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