Charley Crockett is the real deal — a Texas-born troubadour who’s lived a life that reads like a country song before he ever wrote one. He busked on the streets of New Orleans, traveled through North Africa and Europe, survived open-heart surgery, and has released over a dozen albums in the last eight years with a work ethic that borders on supernatural. His blend of traditional country, Gulf Coast soul, and Western swing has made him one of the most exciting artists in American roots music, and he’s coming to Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards on June 18.
Crockett’s live show is a throwback in the best sense — tight band, real instruments, songs that tell stories, and a frontman with enough charisma to fill any venue. His recent albums, particularly “$10 Cowboy” and “Welcome to Hard Times,” have crossed over from the Americana underground to mainstream country consciousness without sacrificing an ounce of authenticity.
An outdoor summer evening at Beak & Skiff with Charley Crockett playing honky-tonk under the Central New York sky is about as perfect as a concert experience gets. If you haven’t discovered Crockett yet, this show will make you a believer. If you’re already a fan, you know exactly how good this is going to be.