WILMINGTON — Renowned singer-songwriter and multiple Grammy Award winner Rodney Crowell is bringing his Word for Word Tour to the Murphy Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22.
As the consummate craftsman of lyric and melody, Rodney Crowell is hailed as an American treasure. In his new book “Word for Word”, the path behind his prolific legacy is laid bare with the stories that brought his most iconic songs to life, including 15 #1 hits.
His 1988 album “Diamonds & Dirt” contained five number-one singles on the Billboard country chart in both the U.S. and Canada: “It’s Such a Small World” (a duet with then-wife Rosanne Cash), “I Couldn’t Leave You If I Tried”, “She’s Crazy for Leavin”, “After All This Time”, and a cover of Buck Owens’ “Above and Beyond (The Call of Love).”
Crowell earned a Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 1990 for “After All This Time” and in 2014 for Best Americana Album for “Old Yellow Moon”, and has been nominated for six other Grammy Awards.
He has been nominated for 10 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards, winning Top New Male Vocalist in 1988 and the Poet’s Award in 2019, and nominated for eight Country Music Association (CMA) Awards.
His recently released book “Word for Word” collects 150 of Crowell’s most impactful songs in a collector-sized compilation of lyrical poetry and artwork, curated by the Texas troubadour himself. Often called a poet by his peers, Crowell’s poignant and life affirming lyrics take on new meaning when they are read from the pages of “Word for Word.”
In “Word for Word”, Crowell reveals his path to becoming an icon among his peers. Included are enduring selections such as “Til I Gain Control Again,” “Leaving Louisiana In the Broad Daylight,” “I Ain’t Living Long Like This” and “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues,” songs covered by Emmylou Harris, the Grateful Dead, Johnny Cash, Etta James and Norah Jones, as well as hits for Tim McGraw, Keith Urban and Bob Seger.
With 50 pages of prose from Crowell’s own pen — describing his early days in Nashville and the backstory of selected songs — the book distills his legendary life’s work down to its essence, with rare insight, humor, and larger-than-life storytelling.
The book features additional commentary from Rosanne Cash and a foreword by best-selling author Daniel Levitin, as well as original art, previously unseen photography, personal artifacts (including first drafts of songs), and much more. The exclusive collection found in these pages gives an insider’s view into a half-century of extraordinary lyrical work.
For more information, log on to rodneycrowell.com.
