Since the early 1970s, Rodney Crowell has proven himself as one of modern music’s most gifted songwriters. A seasoned guitarist, lyricist, and collaborator, the 73-year-old Texas native has released an impressive 17 studio albums, taken five songs to No. 1, and earned multiple ACM, Grammy, and Americana Music Awards.
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His long-lasting creative bonds with fellow groundbreaking singer/songwriters Emmylou Harris, Rosanne Cash, and Kris Kristofferson have resulted in some of the genre’s most engaging and critically acclaimed songs to date.
[RELATED: 8 Songs You Didn’t Know Rodney Crowell Wrote for Other Artists]
An unstoppable talent with an unwavering collaborative spirit, it should be no surprise that this musical visionary has helped other acts elevate their sound to new heights. Here are five albums produced by Rodney Crowell for other artists that every music fan should hear:
1. Lead Me Not, Lari White
Before becoming one of the defining new female voices in country music during the 1990s, Lari White became one of the first country stars to earn national attention through a television singing competition. After being crowned champion of The Nashville Network’s 1988 series You Can Be a Star, which resulted in a short-lived deal with Capitol Records, White started fresh with RCA Nashville. She recruited Crowell and Steuart Smith, who would later become a touring guitarist for the Eagles, to help produce her 1993 debut album.
Although Lead Me Not was not a significant hit on country radio, the impressive collection of songs showcases the immense talents that helped catapult her follow-up 1994 LP, Wishes, to the top of the charts.
2. Seven Year Ache, Rosanne Cash
In 1979, Crowell tied the knot with fellow musical multi-talent Rosanne Cash, kicking off a 13-year marriage that spawned many creative collaborations. One of the most well-known and commercially successful joint efforts was Cash’s third solo album, Seven Year Ache. The 1981 LP spawned three No. 1 hits, including its title track, which became a crossover success on both country and pop radio.
3. Lifted Off The Ground, Chely Wright
In 2010, country hitmaker Chely Wright marked a pivotal, life-changing moment with her seventh studio album. Her raw and revealing memoir, Like Me: Confessions of a Heartland Country Singer, documenting her journey through stardom while trying to conceal her sexuality, was released on the same day as this stellar Crowell-produced LP. An exercise in creative catharsis, Lifted Off the Ground examines some of Wright’s most painful moments alongside hopes for brighter days ahead.
4. Balls, Elizabeth Cook
Country artist Elizabeth Cook supplied a musical sucker punch with the release of her 2007 record Balls. The Crowell-produced record helped continue the critical success of her breakout third studio album, This Side of the Moon, and spotlighted Cook’s defiant, edgy take on the genre’s traditional sound.
5. Lucky Man, Hal Ketchum
Released in 2001, country singer/songwriter Hal Ketchum’s seventh studio album, Lucky Man, stayed true to his traditional-leaning sound. With the creative guidance of Crowell, this all too often-overlooked project offers an energizing, positivity-driven collection of songs, including a stellar duet with Dolly Parton.
Photo Credit: Claudia Church/New West Records
