Charley Crockett facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charley Crockett
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Crockett in 2020
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Matthew Charles Crockett |
| Born | March 24, 1984 San Benito, Texas, United States |
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| Occupation(s) | Musician |
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| Years active | 2005–present |
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Matthew Charles Crockett (born March 24, 1984) is an American singer and songwriter. He is known for his unique blend of neotraditional country, blues, and Americana styles. Since 2015, he has released many studio albums. His album Lil G.L.'s Blue Bonanza reached number 11 on the US Billboard Blues Albums chart in 2018. More recently, The Man from Waco (2022) and $10 Cowboy (2024) made it onto the main US Billboard 200 chart.
In September 2023, Crockett was nominated for Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year at the Americana Music Honors and Awards. He also received his first Grammy Award nomination in 2025 for his album $10 Cowboy.
Early Life and Musical Journey
Charley Crockett was born in San Benito, Texas. He was raised by his single mother along with his older brother and sister. They lived in a trailer park in Los Fresnos, Texas. As a child, he spent summers with his uncle in the French Quarter of New Orleans.
When he was 17, Crockett left high school and decided to travel with a guitar his mother bought him from a pawn shop. He taught himself to play and started writing songs right away. He learned by ear, listening to different kinds of music, including hip hop. He was especially interested in the samples used in hip hop songs, which led him to discover artists like Curtis Mayfield and Nina Simone.
Crockett began his music career by playing on the streets in New Orleans and Deep Ellum, Dallas. He later traveled across the country by hitchhiking and riding freight trains. By 2009, he was performing on the streets of New York City. He even formed a street band called the Trainrobbers. After years of traveling and performing, he moved back to Texas.
Music Career Highlights
In 2015, Charley Crockett released his first album, A Stolen Jewel. This album earned him the Dallas Observer Music Award for Best Blues Act. The next year, he released In The Night, which featured his own songs and covers of classics. Fort Worth Star-Telegram praised the album, calling it "an impressive calling card." Crockett then spent a year touring, playing over 125 shows.
After moving to Austin, Texas, Crockett released Lil G.L.'s Honky Tonk Jubilee in 2017. This album was a collection of country song covers. In 2018, he released Lonesome as a Shadow, which featured only his original songs. This album was recorded in Memphis, Tennessee. He toured again with his band, the Blue Drifters, playing at famous venues and festivals.
Later in 2018, Crockett released Lil G.L.'s Blue Bonanza. This album was another collection of cover songs, focusing on blues music. It reached number 10 on the Billboard Blues Albums chart.
In early 2019, Crockett had open-heart surgery for a heart condition he was born with. Despite this, he continued to make music. He released The Valley in September 2019. This album included the song "Borrowed Time."
In 2020, he released Field Recordings, Vol. 1, a collection of 30 low-fidelity songs recorded using simple equipment. He also released his seventh album, Welcome to Hard Times, which received great reviews. American Songwriter said Crockett "finds the sweet spot between country, soul, blues, and folk."
In 2021, Crockett released 10 For Slim: Charley Crockett Sings James Hand, a tribute album to musician James "Slim" Hand. This album was highly praised by music critics. Later that year, he released his ninth album, Music City USA. He also won the Emerging Artist of the Year award at the Americana Music Honors and Awards. He made his debut on Austin City Limits and appeared on CBS This Morning.
In March 2022, Crockett announced Jukebox Charley, another album of cover songs. This was his third album in just over a year. In September 2022, he released his 11th album, The Man from Waco, which featured 14 original songs. He performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in December 2022.
In 2023, Crockett performed for NPR's Tiny Desk Concert series. He also appeared on Comedy Central's The Daily Show. He was featured on the cover of Texas Monthly magazine. In September, he released Live from the Ryman, an album and concert film recorded at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.
In early 2024, Crockett announced his album, $10 Cowboy, which was released on April 26. He performed the title track on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. In July 2024, he released $10 Cowboy, Chapter II: Visions of Dallas, which included six cover songs and six original songs.
In January 2025, Crockett signed with Island Records. He released his first album with the label, Lonesome Drifter, on March 14, 2025. This album includes new versions of his songs and covers of other artists' work.
Awards and Nominations
Charley Crockett has received several awards and nominations for his music.
- 2021: Americana Music Honors & Awards – Emerging Artist of the Year (Won)
- 2022: Austin Music Awards – Musician of the Year (Won)
- 2022: Austin Music Awards – Best Country (Won)
- 2023: Americana Music Honors & Awards – Artist of the Year (Nominated)
- 2023: Americana Music Honors & Awards – Album of the Year (Nominated)
- 2023: Americana Music Honors & Awards – Song of the Year (Nominated)
- 2025: Grammy Awards – Best Americana Album (Nominated)
