Feature Attractions -
Old Settler's Music Festival, Texas
April 2005,
by Carl Burnham
The Houston Kid
- Rodney Crowell
This talented Texas native has an extensive career that includes as singer, songwriter, music producer, and musician. Rodney Crowell took the stage by storm, warming the crowd up prior to playing his big hits in his own lyrical country-rock style.
Crowell played several of his recent big hit songs, including 'Earthbound', 'Still Learning How To Fly', 'Fate's Right Hand', and 'The Houston Kid'. He also played tunes from his upcoming album, The Outsider (listen here to 'The Things That Go Bump in the Day' - opens in new window), which comes out in August. Crowell joked that he had been sent to a promotion class recently, as he mentioned the new album twice during his performance. Unfortunately, Béla Fleck had already left and didn't play his banjo in the song 'Earthbound' as he did on the album, although it was still quite good.
Prior to being known for his own top of the charts songs, Rodney Crowell spent many many years writing hits for other performers, including Emmylou Harris, Crystal Gayle, Waylon Jennings, Bob Seger, and the Oak Ridge Boys, prior to his own first big hit in 1988 with 'The Houston Kid' on his album, Diamond and Dirt. The album set a record as the first country album that resulted in five #1 singles.
Crowell brought the crowd to a frenzy towards the end, playing 'Like a Rolling Stone'. Quotes Crowell, from the book by Greil Marcus with the same name, "I have the audacity to play 'Like a Rolling Stone' in my show, just about every night. I did it as a lark to show off to some of the guys in my band that I knew all the words. But...I couldn't put it away; every night, it's a unifying thing. I think it's somehow part of the fabric of our culture."
Wanting to hear some of the best acoustical and bluegrass performers today, with an inviting atmosphere, and sample some great barbecue? This is the place. Be sure to make plans to attend next year's festival and make plans to visit the Old Settler's Music Festval.
We would like to congratulate the Old Settler's Music Festival organizers, staff, and volunteers for putting together a quality event, and thank them for their assistance with our feature.
We look forward to next year.
Visit their website - here for more information.
View our Old Settler's Music Festival 2006 Feature.
When: April of each year
Where: Driftwood, TX
(just south of Austin)
Salt Lick Pavilion and Camp Ben McCulloch, FM 1826,
south of U.S. 290 West
Website
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