It's not unusual for musicians, long into their career, to leave their most creative days behind. Fans often learn to expect concerts filled with old hits and new albums with diminishing returns.

Rodney Crowell, however, never got that memo.

"The notion of resting on your laurels sounds like the death of the gift," Crowell said. "I just can't do it. I won't do it."

Crowell and his band, the Outsiders, along with opening act Will Kimbrough, will perform at the State Theatre this Saturday night.

The show is part of a three-day run for a make-up date.

Joe Apfelbaum, the theatre's programming manager, said some slowness in ticket sales might stem from unfamiliarity with Crowell, a trend he has seen at other shows at the venue.

"We're doing a bunch of shows with a bunch of people that are really great, but it's hard to get people to understand how great they are or even who they are," Apfelbaum said.

Though known primarily as a country artist, Crowell calls his recent recordings closer to folk-rock.

After a hiatus at the end of the '90s, Crowell entered a new phase in his career with 2001's The Houston Kid, 2003's Fate's Right Hand and 2005's The Outsider.

Crowell considers this trio of albums the best work he's done as a recording artist.

"I sort of beamed in early on. I developed rather quickly as a songwriter," he said. "I have a catalogue of songs going all the way back to the '70s. I just had a knack for writing songs from the get-go. I didn't necessarily have a knack for making records and producing records."

The "knack for making Rodney Crowell" records would come with The Houston Kid.

A currently untitled new album will continue in the vein of the newer records.

Crowell lists some lyrical topics as "sexual politics, basically what it's like to be a woman in our culture, Alzheimer's disease, our obsession with thinness, our obsession with fame and celebrity."

"I write about basically a lot about sex," Crowell said, "but more from the point of view of the politics of sex."

The thematic unity is another trademark of Crowell's recent records.

He calls The Houston Kid a "musical memoir," Fate's Right Hand a "spiritual exploration," and The Outsider a "political-cultural exploration."

Comparing this to his older work, Crowell said, "I'd have to say it's smarter because I give a lot more voice to my singular sensibility. I don't spend as much time trying to write the broad love song for everybody."

Throughout his career, Crowell has had many cover versions of his songs performed and written songs for other artists, many of which have become country hits.

While not intentional, it does allow Crowell more flexibility in his own recordings.

"Now and again I write a hit song, and that's good, but it's usually in spite of what I'm trying to do," Crowell said.

Apfelbaum said Crowell's
path shows he's grown as a musician.

"You can really tell that he's really not concerned with the commercial realities of music anymore, he's just getting better with age," he said.

Crowell called his group
"a really good, edgy band."

"I like playing college towns," Crowell said. "I remember a college kid came to my show, and said, 'Jesus, from your dark, somber mood, I was surprised to see how exuberant you guys were.' "

And why wouldn't they be exuberant?

It all ties into Crowell staying motivated by following his interests and doing what he considers his best work, in the studio and on stage.

"I'm pretty adamant about, it's my belief that, and I say this with all humility: If I can't make it on the merit of the work that I'm doing now, then I should quit," Crowell said.

"I should go home. I have no interest in rehashing the past or being an oldies guy. To me, it's only important what you're doing now."