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By John DeFore There's surely something to please every country music fan (and many of those who stand on the sidelines) when it comes to Houston-born, Nashville-tested Rodney Crowell. He has written and produced huge mainstream hits, and has been integral to the career of Rosanne Cash - both in his presence (as co-songwriter and producer) and in his absence (the breakup of the pair's marriage inspired some of Cash's best work). As a solo artist, he showed a mastery of Nashville's slick '80s aesthetic without skimping on songcraft, then resurfaced in the last few years with records that were both more soul-searching and more in tune with contemporary anti-glitz sensibilities than his older work.
Finally, for those who like their country populism to be more thought-through than Limbaughtomized, Crowell is one of a few courageous Nashvillites voicing opposition to our country's current foreign policy. As part of a group called the Music Row Democrats, he is encouraging like-minded musicians to stop apologizing for their beliefs, even if it means a bit of a backlash from CMT. More power to him, and here's hoping music lovers of all political stripes can find their way to Gruene this weekend. • By John DeFore
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