Rodney Crowell first gained recognition as a leader of country's mid-'80s new traditionalist movement, though he had ambitions far beyond that perimeter. Fusing the Texas singer/songwriter sensibility with a sound that honored country's past but added a rock & roll punch, Crowell's first success was as a writer and a sideman, spending three years as part of Emmylou Harris' Hot Band. Crowell produced several fine albums for Rosanne Cash and penned hits for Crystal Gayle, Bob Seger, and Highway 101 before enjoying a commercial breakthrough with 1988's album Diamonds & Dirt. 1992's Life Is Messy and 2001's The Houston Kid found Crowell moving into more personal territory, and as he stepped from the major labels to independent imprints, he pleased both critics and fans with smart and insightful releases such as 2014's Tarpaper Sky and 2023's The Chicago Sessions.