Rodney ascended to the level he is on now (amongst the absolute top songwriters and music makers alive) with his 2001 release The Houston Kid, a great, great album. I consider it and everything he has released since a must-own.
By the way, Rodney executive-produced (whatever that means!) an album the same year by a writer and singer he very much respects, Michael Kelsh. The album is entitled Well Of Mercy, and it's a good 'un. "Regular"-produced by Bill Halverson (C, S, & N, Clapton, Albert King, Neil Young, Hendrix, The Beach Boys, many others), who has just produced Kelsh's first album since that one, Harmony Sovereign. Can't wait to hear it!