Charley Crockett: The Reason You Should Give Country Music Another Chance

I am certainly not the first and I know I won’t be the last to complain about today’s country music. As someone who grew up with parents who listened to classic country like George Jones, Conway Twitty, or Gary Stewart and then went on to be raised in the peak of 90s country, it is understandable to not be as thrilled about what mainstream country artists are putting out nowadays. When I was younger I actually considered country music to be my favorite genre but as I got older, I started to favor other genres a bit more but always held a special place in my heart for good ol’ country music. After losing a little hope for modern country music, I am sure you can imagine the excitement that comes with those moments when I find an artist who reminds me that real country music isn’t dead. One of those recent artists for me happens to be Charley Crockett.

I came across Charley Crockett at the beginning of the pandemic and have been enjoying his music for about a year now. During this past year, I have found myself thinking, “wow, it is so refreshing to hear this style of country music” and now I am ready to write about it.

As always, I like to provide a little background about the artist and Charley’s background just makes his music even more compelling. His ethnicity consists of Jewish, Cajun, Creole, and black ancestry. He was born and raised in Texas near the Rio Grande Valley by a single mother but would also spend summers in New Orleans with his uncle where he started to really appreciate the idea of street performers. As he got older, he made his way up to New York City through the efforts of hitchhiking where he would play hip-hop and blues on the streets and subways for money and eventually formed a street band, called the Trainrobbers. After some time in New York City, he headed to North Carolina to continue playing music and work on a farm for a few years. He later spent some time living in Paris, Spain, and Morocco. While living a nomadic lifestyle in these various locations, Charley also faced some run-ins with the law. He eventually found his way back to Texas where his music career really started to blossom. Starting in 2015, he released at least one album a year, even after undergoing open-heart surgery in January of 2019. His open-heart surgery didn’t keep him down, but instead inspired him to release his well-received album, Welcome to Hard Times. Charley’s background consisting of tough times, experiences of busking, and getting by on the streets of various cities around the globe gives his music an extra eclectic feeling that makes it enjoyable for all types of people.

Something I think that sets apart classic country music compared to the stuff being played on radio stations today is the storytelling aspect. Charley shares his life and experiences through the storytelling in his music with a sound as unique as his background. When listening to his music, you can certainly hear the old country and swing influences from the sound of a steel guitar and piano, but every now and then you can catch that extra flavor thrown in giving homage to his time in the French Quarter, such as his song Trinity River. And while he has an overall older sound, his background in folk/Americana and hip-hop add a funky twist to his work, making him more appealing to younger listeners. He has also covered songs from so many beloved classic artists such as Tanya Tucker, Freddy Fender, Hank Williams Jr., Ernest Tubb, and George Jones. I would have to say that his cover of Tanya Tucker’s Jamestown Ferry is one of my favorites of his songs. One of the things I appreciate most is his ability to give us that nostalgic classic sound with a fresh inventiveness that modern country music desperately needs. With these classic influences added to his fondness for southern blues, Charley Crockett’s music makes you feel as if you are starring in some sort of gothic western film.

As someone who is always finding herself in conversations surrounding music, I often hear people talk about how much they don’t like country music. Upon hearing that, I usually follow up with some sort of question like “What about Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton or Willie Nelson?” to which most reply with a clarification explaining how they enjoy that type of country music, just not the usual stuff we hear today. And I totally don’t blame them! I am so burnt out on the typical cold beer on a Saturday-tailgate of a truck-blonde girl in cutoff jeans type of narrative that mainstream country seems to be obsessed with to the point where I have almost given up on country music. It just seems very inauthentic and loses sight of the true connection that comes from country music, the stories of surviving hard times.

For those of you who feel the same way as I do about mainstream country music, I am happy to tell you that all is not lost! There is a whole group of bands and artists that are staying true to those older sounds all while giving a fresh feel to the outlaw type of country music. If you feel like you haven’t been able to find new music that checks off as many boxes as the older stuff, I encourage you to give Charley Crockett a listen. He certainty isn’t the only one, and I have plenty of other suggestions, but upon hearing his music, I was instantly transported to the 1960s country scene and what a relief it was!

Frustrated country fans, we are being heard! Let Charley Crockett be your reason you give country music another chance. I recommend starting out with his 2019 album, Welcome to Hard Times, followed by some of his classic country covers and then try to tell me you didn’t rediscover your love for country music.

Charley Crockett on Spotify

Music Mil Spotify

Follow Along on Instagram