Rodney Crowell had moments of doubt regarding the personal and often violent details he wrote about his parents' lives in his recently published memoir, 'Chinaberry Sidewalks.'

Although the famed singer/songwriter would occasionally break into a cold sweat while writing, concerned that his parents couldn't defend themselves against his often brutal recollections, he was comforted in knowing that his song, 'The Rock of My Soul,' exposed many of the same details that are in the book. When Rodney's mother heard the song, her only concern was that the creative license he took put the song's narrator in jail -- and she didn't want anyone to think he had been incarcerated.

"I considered myself referee and participant," Rodney tells The Boot of how he approached the story of his East Texas childhood. "I figured I'd start out with a bang and see if it would draw the audience in."

Rodney is referring to the first tale in the book, which takes place on New Year's Eve, 1955. His parents were having an alcohol-fueled party and before violence could erupt, young Rodney took his father's .22-caliber rifle and fired it into the room, breaking up the party.

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Yet Rodney says he doesn't tell such tales for shock value, only choosing those which propel his parents' love story forward. "I wouldn't have though the story of my father whacking my mother across the belly with a belt was worth telling unless he redeems himself in some way," he says. "In that way, it was a natural story to tell."

Writing the book also helped Rodney reflect on the type of parent he has been.

"Lo and behold, come to find out with my grown children, I did things worse," says the father of four daughters, with a laugh. "Parenthood gets thrown at you. Part of the slings and arrows of parenthood is that it eventually comes back to you what a s---ty job you did ... and also what a great job. Parenthood is like a giant drive-in movie screen mirror reflecting back."

A limited number of signed, hardcover copies of 'Chinaberry Sidewalks' are now available for purchase on his website, which also has an exclusive digital download of 'Rodney Crowell: Acoustic Trio Live,' a thirteen-track album recorded during Rodney's recent trio tour with Will Kimbrough and Jenny Scheinman.

Rodney is currently on the Chinaberry Sidewalks tour. His next scheduled concert is January 28 in Austin, Texas. For more upcoming tour dates, click here.

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