Anna Bialkowski
The Southern Editor
Charley Crockett is the greatest country musician of our generation.
People love to talk about how artists are snubbed at the Grammy Awards for their music. Crockett has made his way up to fame within the Americana genre, overpowering country artists who put a pop beat behind their music, like Morgan Wallen or Luke Bryan.
With his first album “In the Night” released in 2016, Crockett has gone out to put out a “prolific” amount of music according to NPR Music, with 15 records under his diamond studded belt.
Crockett crafts his music with the breath of American blues and bebops of New Orleans jazz– a staple of Crockett’s childhood. He also pulls inspiration from country music greats, like Waylon Jennings, whose son will be co-producing Crockett’s record, “Lonesome Drifter.”
Finally, Crockett stepped up to the red carpet with his first Grammy nomination. On the red carpet right before the Grammy Awards, Crockett stopped for an interview with musical journalist page via Instagram @pitchfork, explaining the influence of the pre-outlaw movement on his music.
“You know, where I’m from in South Texas, guys like Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, you grow up knowing their songs even before you knew who was singing them,” Crockett said. “But the whole outlaw movement, everybody I knew, every swinging Nancy wanted to be Waylon or Willie … But it was really through his 60s albums that were considered a pre-outlawed movement that I really started understanding Waylon.”
In April, Crockett released his album “$10 Cowboy.” Exploring the thoughts of being undervalued or overlooked. Crockett is able to bring out a dichotomy of warmth and power into this 12–song track. Ten months later, the album is up for a Grammy in the Americana category of the awards. Rising to the top of these arbitrary awards, however, is difficult.
FSC alumna and University of Florida graduate student Emma Lauren Poole explains that committees involved in these awards try to put a box around country music. “I’ve always been drawn to music that blurred or completely erased the lines that people have drawn to encase country music,” Poole said. “Country music can’t really be enclosed because it is an experience, and I’m extremely disappointed in the way that the mainstream country music industry has kind of boxed country music.”
Poole explains that mainstream country music is made for the “feel-good” and doesn’t actually explore the real world in which we live. Country music first came from the West, created by cowboys and Americans who worked hard for their dreams, and who endured many struggles along the way. Crockett sings about the struggles of being American and the battles he has endured in his life.
“Charley Crockett, I feel like has just really never cared what the committee wanted to hear,” Poole said.
“Country music can’t really be enclosed because it is an experience, and I’m extremely disappointed in the way that the mainstream country music industry has kind of boxed country music.”
Crockett went up against artists Sarah Jarosz, Maggie Rose, Waxahatchee, T Bone Burnett and finally Sierra Ferrell, who won the award for Best Americana Album with “Trail of Flowers.” Ferrell also went on to win Best American Roots Performance with her song “Lighthouse,” and Best Americana Performance with “American Dreaming,” which also won Best American Roots Song.
Crockett earned a spot among these awards. The committee just has to watch him perform “Baby, Baby, Baby (Don’t Tell Me That)” by James Hand, and they’ll be convinced to give him a Best Performance Award.
At least Crockett’s upcoming album “Lonesome Drifter,” that comes out March 14, will give him another reason to be nominated again come next year.
