Rodney Crowell Sets August Release for ‘Airline Highway’ Album Featuring Star-Studded Lineup

Rodney Crowell has announced the release of his upcoming studio album Airline Highway, set to arrive August 29 via New West Records. Blending blues and country influences, the album was recorded at Dockside Studios in Louisiana, a location recommended by producer Tyler Bryant and renowned recording engineer Trina Shoemaker. The ten-track collection emerged from sessions in New Orleans and builds upon Crowell's deep Southern roots.

A highlight of the project is "Taking Flight," a duet with country powerhouse Ashley McBryde. Co-written by Crowell, the track explores the emotional distance between former lovers, set against a backdrop of a fictional late-night drive in the South. Tyler Bryant's searing guitar solo adds intensity to the lead single.

McBryde describes the collaboration as both surreal and transformative: "Simply sitting across from Rodney is magical. Writing a song with an icon is such an honor, and being able to call him my friend is one of the great joys of my life. Taking Flight explored heartache on a plane I hadn't been on before. For Rodney to choose me as a co-writer and a singer is something that only existed in dreams. This record speaks for itself, and I am so happy I get to be a part of its journey."

Crowell, a two-time Grammy winner and celebrated songwriter behind hits for Waylon Jennings, Keith Urban, and others, views the album as a celebration of musical connection. "This record is a document of me falling in love with these musicians," says Crowell. "That's one of the great perks of this job — falling in love with the people you're playing with. And we caught that on tape."

Airline Highway also features collaborations with Lukas Nelson on "Rainy Days in California" and Blackberry Smoke's Charlie Starr on "Heaven Can You Help." Crowell will launch a supporting tour beginning May 30 in Arkansas and is slated to perform at the Americana Music Festival in Nashville this September.