I felt somewhat underdressed when I stepped onto SEPTA to head to the Charley Crockett show. A surprising number of people sporting stylish western wear pieces, dressed to the nines, is not a typical sight at 34th St station; I was in the right place. As we all made our way south on Front Street towards the Fillmore, looking straight out of a spaghetti western, excitement grew. The last song on Crockett’s album $10 Cowboy concluded, and I put away my headphones, it was time to hear it live.
Charley Crockett | photo by Izabella Patrizio for WXPN
After American soul singer Lee Fields warmed up the room with charismatic serenades, the crowd eagerly awaited the man with his initials in lights. As the house dimmed, the only illumination came from those very lights. Before we knew it, the silhouette of a true showman was standing right before us, introducing himself as the $10 Cowboy, “Baby, that’s a fact.” The opening track to his 2024 album of the same name filled the room with a ringing acoustic chorus and crisp thuds of the bass drum.
From then on, Crockett played the entirety of his most recent album, which was quite surprising for an artist whose discography spans back to 2015. Most artists approach live performance as merely playing the music, but for Charley, it seems to be more than just that. He wants to give us a story, a plot to follow, something in addition to the music itself. As his platform as a country artist continues to grow, and he finds himself on stages like the one he was standing on that night, he reflects on the stories infused into $10 Cowboy. Tales about misfortune and struggle, like in “Ain’t Done Losing Yet” and “Hard Luck & Circumstances,” the album is toted by twangy strings, licks from his telecaster, R&B style synths, peel steel riffs and a beautiful horn section.
Charley Crockett | photo by Izabella Patrizio for WXPN
We were in for a lot of songs, and through the first few, Charley didn’t waste time, going from “Ain’t Done Losing Yet,” “Hard Luck & Circumstances,” and “Spade” with his acoustic staying strapped to his chest. In “Diamond in the Rough,” Jacob Marchese retired his bass guitar for an upright bass, creating a rich pulsing tonal harmony, and in “Gettin’ Tired Again.” Its bluesy and groovy funk beat stood out against the rest.
As a former street busker, Crockett carries his experiences in his back pocket and shares his honed skills on stage. Traveling through the frets on his guitar like stops on his tour, he didn’t hesitate to bring out a solo or two between his verses on “I’m Just A Clown” from his 2022 album, The Man From Waco. Crockett sings about the mystery man on the title track, followed by the subtle addition of the cover “Don’t Tell Me That” by James Hand, the very man from Waco who influenced the tales of the album. Before that, covers from Link Wray, T-Bone Walker, and Bill Doggett introduced us to Crockett’s inspirations as an up-and-coming country luminary.
“He’s not opening, I’m just closing,” has to be the most humble thing to say as a headlining artist, and those very words came from Crockett thanking Fields for being a wonderful opener. He brought Fields out for a special duet together on the Bobby “Blue” Bland cover “Lead Me On.” That wasn’t the only sentimental moment of the show. During the interlude from “Juke Box Mama” into “Travelin’ Blues,” he talked about a time only the OG fans will remember: “I played the little room upstairs a while back. When I got here, they brought me down to this stage. I could have never imagined I’d be performing on it… These days they call me country, and I’m proud of that.” Fields himself said what we were all thinking, “This is the best country singer ever!”
Charley Crockett | photo by Izabella Patrizio for WXPN
It hasn’t been an easy road through the music industry for Crockett. After years of trying to find his footing , traveling all over the country, he’s finally coming into his own — the sold out Fillmore was a testament to that — and continues to exhibit grace and love onstage. “I love America,” he said, “This one goes out to you.” Fittingly, he played “America” as his final song before returning for an encore of covers by Tanya Tucker (“The Jamestown Ferry”) and Waylon Jennings (“Good Hearted Woman”) to round out the night.
Charley Crockett’s $10 Cowboy tour continues tonight in Grand Rapids, Michigan before headlining Nashville’s legendary Ryman Auditorium on Friday. Full dates here; check out photos from The Fillmore below.