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May 19 , 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels April 7, 2004 Zimmy Sez Crowell's musical masterpiece Steve Zimmerman After writing about music for more than 16 years, there are very few people I have still wanted to interview. Rodney Crowell was one of them. With the release of his latest CD, "Fate's Right Hand," I finally had my chance recently. When I told Crowell that I felt this was his best effort ever, he shyly laughed and said, "you're a good man." Then he spoke about his first studio CD in years. "I think it is the best record I ever made," he said. "I felt that way about the last record I made, 'The Houston Kid.' But I think what I learned making that record came to fruition on this one." Crowell again laughed when asked if he felt he had to hit a home run with the making of this CD. "No, not at all," he said. "I wasn't expecting to hit a home run. I was just honestly looking for a seeing eye single between first and second. But now, bear in mind when I say that, that is just taking each day's work for the beauty of the fact I get to make records. That is the reward - but I have always maintained that when I do make these records, I think of myself and about the things I admire in artists like Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash or Lennon and McCartney. "The things I admire in their work I inspire to find those in myself and always have. Otherwise, why do it? I wasn't trying to hit a home run but I was trying to do the best work I can do for me." Crowell did hit a home run and did so by placing 11 beautifully crafted and written songs on this CD. "You know, 'Preachin' to the Choir', 'It's a Different World', 'Time to go Inward', 'Earthbound' and 'Fate's Right Hand' came spewing out in about a month's time," he said. "I had 'Learnin How to Fly' and knew it would fit. I recorded it on my record with The Secedas in the late '90s and told the guys someday I was going to record this song on my own. 'Come on Funny Feeling' came to me while I was recording." One song, "This Too Will Pass," comes off as a tribute to George Harrison. But, Crowell says it didn't start out that way. "I really thought we were doing a kind of Neal Young song from the Harvest time," he said. "During the recording session, my daughter called in tears and said George had died. I went in and told the guys and we went back out in the studio and what we laid down then was the take we took. "At the end I was so hurt and sad that in the end, I just kind of said, 'goodnight George.' And we all went in and had a good cry and it was great; a control room full of musicians sobbing. It was a good moment." Crowell would not go so far as to say the songs on the CD are retrospective. "Well, they are certainly not flinching and they are not fashionable," he noted. "I don't think I am guilty of trying to take this introspective thing and dress it up. The important thing for me in making this record is that the audience didn't feel I was manipulating them into thinking, 'poor me, I am struggling.' I am not struggling. The main thing was to present the music in a way that shows and not tells." Crowell has always showed the way with his music to other artists and fans. On "Fate's Right Hand" he again shows that traditional country music has a place in the world today. And he also shows that a craggy-faced, middle aged Texan still can put forth the best music on the planet. If you truly like real country music, run, don't walk, to your nearest music store and buy this record. It will be the best money you may ever spend. Steve Zimmerman is a staff writer for the Daily Tidings. Contact him at [email protected] or 482-3456, ext. 3019. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams