Tarpaper Sky, Rodney Crowell

Rodney Cro­well, longtime guitarist for Emmy­lou Harris, hit songwriter for Waylon Jen­nings and the Oak Ridge Boys, demonstrates artistic integrity here, refusing to cave to country-pop trends. Nothing here is calculated; the album was recorded live in a studio. From the sensuous, steady-rolling “Fever on the Bayou” (complete with a verse sung in French) to the rockabilly-tinged, heartfelt prayer “Jesus Talk to Mama,” Crowell shows off a wide lyrical and stylistic range: