Rodney Crowell’s Iconic “Diamonds & Dirt” Pulled from Streaming
You can almost lose sight of the fact that before Rodney Crowell was considered one of the most iconic contemporary Americana songwriters, he had a whole career as a commercially successful radio country star in the late 1980s. In fact, Crowell minted five consecutive #1 singles between 1988 and 1989 before Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, and Clint Black appeared on the scene. Even more astounding, all five of those #1s were on the same album, which at the time was a record in country music.
Diamonds & Dirt was that good, and it’s still that good today. And even though Crowell would go on to be known for incorporating rock and folk into country in the burgeoning “alt-country” scene, Diamonds & Dirt is stone cold country, as are all those #1 singles. You’d be hard pressed to find a better example of late 80s country gold than Crowell’s “I Couldn’t Leave You If I Tried,” or “It’s Such A Small World” with then wife Rosanne Cash. Crowell even covered Harland Howard’s legendary “Above and Beyond,” and took it to #1.
Produced by Tony Brown, with Paul Franklin on steel guitar, Mark O’Connor on fiddle, Hall of Famer Eddie Bayers on drums, and Vince Gill singing backup vocals, Diamonds & Dirt is a landmark of Rodney Crowell’s career, and of country music. That is the reason it’s a shame that it has completely disappeared from streaming services.
More and more fans are getting used to pulling up some of their favorite albums, only to see the grayed out tracks where their favorite songs used to be. Sometimes these issues get resolved rather quickly. Sometimes even after years, they still don’t come back, like the case of Loretta Lynn’s Grammy-winning Van Lear Rose from 2004. It disappeared in early 2021, and has yet to return. Dwight Yoakam’s debut album Guitars, Cadillacs Etc., Etc. was also pulled due to a legal dispute between Dwight and his label, but eventually it was repopulated on streaming services.
These disappearing albums are usually due to some publishing dispute either between a performer and a label or a publishing company, and sometimes the parties are gag ordered from talking about it publicly. Saving Country Music has reached out to the Rodney Crowell camp for comment or more information, but has not heard back.
Those who never let go of their physical copies of Diamonds & Dirt are patting their own backs at the moment. But whether it’s Loretta Lynn’s Van Lear Rose or Rodney Crowell’s 1988 blockbuster, these are important records in country history that you hope the new generation of country fans can eventually go back and discover. Making sure they’re easily available is a big part of that.
July 10, 2024 @ 11:36 am
Bought the hard copy cd off eBay back when they first started pulling songs off of it on apple, one of the best $6.75 I’ve ever spent!
July 10, 2024 @ 11:38 am
Rodney’s album sounds as good and as fresh today at it did 35 years ago. A classic country album for sure.
Will not miss Loretta Lynn’s dreadful Van Lear Rose album. Without question the worst album of her career. Whoever thought that backing Loretta’s vocals with a horrible garage band was a good idea? A sonic mess of epic proportions. What on earth was Loretta thinking?
July 10, 2024 @ 12:26 pm
Miss being Mrs. is a great song, and I won’t move off of that. Rest of the album is a meh, Jack Black album.
July 10, 2024 @ 1:04 pm
@C-DJ– Loretta was 72 when Van Lear Rose came out and had been basically in retirement–voluntary or not. She had not had a hit album or song in 20 years. I’m sure she was thinking that “here are some people who are part of the current music scene and they want to make an album with ME as the headliner and give it a big push.”
And it was a good move on Loretta’s part. I don’t remember much about the rest of the CD but “Van Lear Rose” was a great Loretta Lynn song and the CD made it to #2 on the country album chart. Could be that Loretta also liked the fact that making and promoting the album got her away from the extremist political loons that she was associating with in that part of her life.
July 10, 2024 @ 3:56 pm
“Van Lear Rose” was nominated for five Grammy Awards and won two of them, so it must have done something right. It was Loretta’s answer to Johnny Cash’s American Recordings era, building a bridge with younger audiences to her back catalog. I understand why purists may scoff at it, but it was an important record. No shame in recognizing that.
July 10, 2024 @ 1:40 pm
There are plenty of songs on that album that are straight up old school country production. Like ‘trouble on the line”, “Miss being Mrs.” “GOD makes no mistakes”, “IF this old house could talk”…In fact there are only a couple on there that have a “Garage band” sound on the production. One of which is the title track.
July 11, 2024 @ 1:50 am
…perhaps making one heck of an album and then doing so?
July 10, 2024 @ 12:05 pm
Individual songs are still up on YouTube. I hope some legal eagle doesn’t read this and change that situation.
July 10, 2024 @ 2:06 pm
You have tipped the off Howard, thanks!!! Lol
July 10, 2024 @ 2:28 pm
Wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t already own the CD, lol.
July 10, 2024 @ 12:33 pm
I think I know every lyric of this album, backwards and forward, that’s how much I played it. It hasn’t had a reissue, so the label may be gearing up for a reissue/anniversary/special edition in some way. Having it all over streaming could cannibalize sales of the new product (which will.undoubtedly be more expensive).
July 10, 2024 @ 7:38 pm
Actually it was reissued by Sony Legacy years ago with three bonus tracks, I might still have the copy my friend at Sony gave me. Great album. Crowell is a true treasure.
July 11, 2024 @ 8:26 am
Agreed. I was thinking of a vinyl reissue, as it’s long overdue. Possibly his entire Columbia catalog. Though they could simultaneously release another CD as well.
July 10, 2024 @ 12:58 pm
And when people ask me why I buy my music instead of streaming, this is why: I don’t want the music I like subject to a decision to pull from a streaming service. Yeah, I might spend more on music, but I never have to worry about losing access to it.
July 10, 2024 @ 5:53 pm
Make sure you have them backed up somewhere. I lost my entire collection in a flood four years ago, including Diamonds and Dirt
July 11, 2024 @ 6:01 am
I store my music on a RAID-1 NAS in addition to having it backed up to the cloud.
July 12, 2024 @ 8:39 am
I have been slowly doing this with a pile of old vinyl records and have ripped all of my CDs. I do exactly what you do, but I also stream my stored music. I was ripping a vinyl copy of Rosanne Cash’s “King’s Record Shop” a few weeks ago. A friend asked me “why? you can just stream it.” I told him “yeah, right. From my house.”
July 10, 2024 @ 1:05 pm
Can’t believe I forgot what a great song “I couldnt leave you if I tried” was and is. Just watched the video, and it is pure American music.
July 10, 2024 @ 1:07 pm
I am not ashamed to say I have all 3 formats of “Diamonds & Dirt”. I first bought it on cassette, then cd and a few years ago I found the vinyl at a record store. It’s one of the best albums…period.
July 10, 2024 @ 1:15 pm
I am writing this from Norway and Diamonds & Dirt is still available here on Tidal and Spotify. I have followed Rodney since his first album and have enjoyed his poetic lyrics and great melodies and production. I always thought D&D to be a lightweight compared to his other albums. The lyrics more shallow and melodies more catchy, That Rodney made hits was maybe more a proof to himself that he could make it. That the album had 5 number 1 hits is amazing but that does that really make it great?
July 10, 2024 @ 2:11 pm
Still accessible in Canada (July 2024) via Spotify
July 10, 2024 @ 1:33 pm
Don’t get hung up on some “streaming service”.
You can can listen to this legendary album, every other incredible masterpiece you’ve ever heard of, every single note of terrible dreck you have ever passed over, and thousands of others you never knew existed that are waiting to change your life.
For free. Every day all day. On the internet (yes its true).
And if you worry about the hard working folks actually creating that enriching art not getting paid, and you SHOULD…. you can find them on there too (again, the internet) and throw em a few bucks, tell them you love them, how much you’d enjoy seeing them come to town.
July 10, 2024 @ 4:00 pm
Most people pay for their streaming service, everyone should, and even the free tiers make you listen to commercials so revenue can be derived from it to compensate artists. Music has never made more money in history, and it’s because of streaming. The only issue is that it’s an economy of scale, and it takes more streams to equal a CD sale. But trust me, more people are making a living off of music than ever before in history, and many are making a greater share from their art because they can go directly to consumers thanks to streaming.
All that said, supporting artists with physical sales is always encouraged.
July 10, 2024 @ 1:49 pm
Great album, recently found a copy for. 50 at my local thrift store.
July 10, 2024 @ 2:10 pm
Sounds like a good LP to pick up on discord! Might make it two since it’s probably cheap.
July 10, 2024 @ 2:16 pm
I too have a vinyl copy. Coincidentally, I’ve been rocking it this past week. Funny, I get home from work, that Lp is on the cabinet facing out and this article pops up. Weird.
I’ve noticed over the years though, that Crowell has seemingly abandoned that album. Almost none of the songs on it are on his live setlists. Astounding to me, as it represents his greatest work imo. It’s like he views it as a retired chapter of his life. When I caught him live, we got not one song off Diamonds and Dirt at all. It was a few early hits and mostly his newer material. Don’t get me wrong, I like his catalog a lot, but Diamonds and Dirt is the big one for me. And it made him some $$$.
July 10, 2024 @ 2:35 pm
I bought Diamonds & Dirt back in the day on the strength of “Above and Beyond,” but the track I’ve played the most over the years is “I Know You’re Married.” I still can’t believe that one wasn’t sent to radio. Does Rodney ever perform it in concert?
July 10, 2024 @ 2:21 pm
You can almost lose sight that a 73 year old man had a successful career 40 years ago? ????????????
July 10, 2024 @ 2:28 pm
Fortunately, Apple Music let me upload all of my own CDs (all 1200 of them) into my personal cloud storage area, so Diamonds and Dirt remains available to me in my music shuffles and playlists. At some point I need to build a good vinyl-to-digital conversion system and upload any vinyl that I have that didn’t get reissued on CD or is not available streaming.
July 10, 2024 @ 2:32 pm
I prefer his debut album but glad I copied my CD of this one into my iTunes library.
July 10, 2024 @ 5:17 pm
my song is She’s Crazy For Leaving
July 10, 2024 @ 6:18 pm
I don’t think the All You Can Eat buffet that is streaming services is going to last. All these streaming companies are losing money. And the artists are paid in table scraps. So no one is winning. I think eventually albums are going to be released with only one or two singles available to stream. The rest of the album will be available for a price.
The only reason that might not happen is because of music piracy. There’s a fear that if the monthly streaming subscriptions get too expensive, people will go back to the Napsters and the Pirate Bays and such. But Gen Z are reportedly NOT that tech savvy, believe it or not. They’re good with phones, but have no clue with desktop computers unless they are geeky. Plus people have become accustomed to streaming and might find that stealing, organizing, and maintaining an mp3 collection is too much work to be worth it, especially for Gen Z who doesn’t care about music as much as their elders.
July 10, 2024 @ 7:13 pm
As a Gen X/Millieniual English teacher turned Network Engineer, you are correct. The kids coming up have no real tech skills, unless you count scrolling TikTok.
Napster and then Limewire led me down many rabbit holes that led me to buy albums and concert tickets. I miss it. Spotify’s AI DJ can never replace the joy of discovering Cooder Graw’s State Line or the Original Panhandlers’ Crazy Stupid Bitch on Napster.
July 10, 2024 @ 7:49 pm
Spotify had a gross profit of $1,000,000,000 in the first quarter of 2024. I’m thinking they’re going to be getting by just fine for the foreseeable future….
July 10, 2024 @ 7:55 pm
If that’s true than that is a very recent development
A quick search turned up this
https://www.statista.com/statistics/244990/spotifys-revenue-and-net-income/
July 10, 2024 @ 7:04 pm
For my money, Peak 80s-era Rodney Crowell was that video he did with Guy Clark. Many a Long and Lonesome Highways. This article and the comments had me hoping RC would be touring my area this year, but no luck.
July 10, 2024 @ 7:12 pm
I really like Rodney crowell Diamond and dirt. Excellent album. My mom used to play it all the time when that album was new.(At the time it was a cassette tape) I have a CD, cassette, and vinyl. We never get tired of hearing it, it’s that good. I also have a CD with 3 extra songs on it and those were good songs too. 5 stars on the excellent record.
July 10, 2024 @ 9:20 pm
Diamonds and Dirt is still on Apple Music in Canada
July 11, 2024 @ 12:07 am
It is a great album.
July 11, 2024 @ 4:44 am
Just like MTV and CMT disappearing from online, when will tons of albums disappear?
July 11, 2024 @ 6:31 am
One (main) reason I don’t rely on music streaming services. I like to ‘own’ the record, CD, file so I can play it when I want and not be disappointed when I can’t find it online…
July 11, 2024 @ 6:53 am
i just came here to say that this record is a stone cold masterpiece. i’ll hold my copy even tighter now.
July 11, 2024 @ 8:28 am
I’m going to bust out my vinyl copy of D&D in honor of this post! Rodney is easily one of the easiest guys to root for and one of the greatest writers (songs and otherwise) of his generation. His memoir “Chinaberry Sidewalks” is essential reading!
July 12, 2024 @ 12:39 am
I didn’t see Rodney Crowell quoted among personalities who reacted to Joe Bonsall’s death, but Rodney has at least a double link to the Oak Ridge Boys.
One of Rodney’s first singles was “Elvira” (written by Dallas Frazier), released in 1978, but as Bonsall later pointed out, Rodney maybe overthought it and did as an emotional piece in a minor key–and the single went nowhere. Bonsall and the Oaks, of course, just saw it as a fun party song, and Richard Sterban bass lines put it over the top.
But Bonsall was a big Crowell fan and the Oak Ridge Boys had THEiR breakthrough #1 hit in 1979 with their recording of Rodney’s “Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight.”
The writer royalties that he got from that single probably kept Rodney from having to look for another job until he finally hit with “Diamonds and Dirt” ten years later.
July 17, 2024 @ 6:05 pm
“Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight” is one of the reasons I prefer his debut album. What a song! And then there’s “Ain’t Living Long Like This.” Those two alone are enough to make it a classic album. Elvira is an unfortunate exception to the overall quality, imo.
July 12, 2024 @ 6:18 am
Check out ‘After All This Time,’ possibly one of the best songs/deliveries of this era. Amazing. Pure magic.