Red hot American singer-songwriter Charley Crockett returns with his phenomenal new album $10 Cowboy, out April 26th on Thirty Tigers. The first taste of new music to drop was the superb title track, which Charley recently turned in a captivating live performance of on Jimmy Kimmel – watch here.
If the name sounds familiar, it is. Charley is a distant relative of American folk hero Davy Crockett. He’s no stranger to these shores either – in the past few years he’s headlined Shepherds Bush Empire, Jazz Cafe, as well as playing End Of The Road Festival. Charley will return to the capital in May, playing what will be two electric nights at London’s Hoxton Hall on May 7th & 8th.
It’s been a long hard-fought journey for the Rio Grande Valley native. Starting out busking at Playmates Arch near New York’s Central Park Carousel, to waiting in line at Caffè Vivaldi’s infamous open mic night, it’s a journey that has taken Charley from the park to the big time. It’s a career that also counts supporting Willie Nelson, as well as primetime TV appearances, as he stands now as one of the hottest independent acts in American music.
After a DIY-inspired career to date, $10 Cowboy is Charley’s 13th studio record. 2022’s critically acclaimed Man From Waco propelled Crockett to new heights, establishing him as one of the leaders of a sparkling revival of traditional country and folk music. It was recorded at Arlyn Studios in Austin, produced by Crockett and his long-time collaborator Billy Horton.
Crockett wrote freely, over a two-month period, as he wound his way across the United States on the back of a tour bus. The resulting songs—raw, personal, vivid portraits of a country in transition—ended up being connected after all. It was recorded live to tape, with anywhere from 6-12 musicians on each track, giving the songs the feel of a live performance. It’s a sound Crockett has been after for years. “The reason I cut it on tape is, when you get the right folks in the room, great players rise to the occasion. When that red light is on and the tape is rolling, you get the magic of a performance.”
Regular bandmates Fox, Nathan Fleming, and Mario Valdez are joined by some of the genre’s most talented players—Rich Brotherton, Kevin Smith, Dave LeRoy Biller, Jason Lee Moeller, T. Jarrod Bonta, and others, including a string quartet. Lauren Cervantes and Angela Miller sing on the album. While the musicianship and accompaniment are exquisite, they are also subtle, placed joyously, yet judiciously across the album.
Already an accomplished songwriter, Charley continues to evolve and grow and deepen. A lifelong student of Bob Dylan, he explores a style favoured by Dylan throughout $10 Cowboy, songs with no lyrical hook, just a turn of phrase.
No, Crockett didn’t set out to write a themed record. Or, through his studied eye, to find America. But with $10 Cowboy, he might have done both.
