Artist Spotlight: Charley Crockett

Photo credit: Lyza Renee

​As the last full month of summer begins and warm sunny days turn into cooler nights, the quaint town of Challis, Idaho, which sits snug near the Sawtooth Mountains, prepares for an influx of music aficionados from all over the globe for the Braun Brothers Reunion Festival. Regarded as one of the state’s premier musical gatherings by both attendees and artists alike, the BBR is a family-friendly event that unites artists and fans in an unparalleled setting for three unforgettable, music-filled days. 

This year, the BBR will be held from August 8th-10th and will feature fifteen Americana, Texas, and Red Dirt artists including Charley Crockett who brings his signature, soulful, and engaging style - which has garnered accolades from outlets including Cowboys and Indians and Rolling Stone - to Challis for the first time. Crockett, who underwent open heart surgery earlier this year, kindly took some time to talk about the festival, share the story behind "River of Sorrow," and more.

Firstly, I hope this rest of the year finds you in continued good health.
Come August, you'll be making the trip to Challis for the BBR. Being that you have played other festivals, what made you want to come out?
​CC: Well, I really appreciate you giving me the well wishes for my health, I’m doing a lot better than I was before and I thank you for mentioning that. I think maybe the primary reason that I wanted to come up there and play Braun Brothers Reunion is because I just am so attracted to that area of Idaho and I know Cody Braun pretty well and was following him, and Turnpike Troubadours and would see pictures and stuff of the festival up there and those mountains and just a very romantic setting. You know being a Texas roots artist, that’s the type of event you want to be on, so I pestered them for a couple years before they got me on it - and I guess it worked, so can’t wait to be there.

Are you able to stay the entire festival? And is there anyone in particular who you are looking forward to see play again or for the first time?
CC: Yeah I’m not too sure how long I’ll end up being there for the festival, but I think we’re planning on making a trip out of it - we’re going to Europe a few days after, so I know we’re going to be in the area for a few days. I’m excited to hopefully get a chance to see Steve Earle and the Dukes. We saw them over in Europe last year and it made me wanna see him again. Big fan of his son Justin Townes Earle, too. And then the Reverend Horton Heat. I saw that y’all had him on the bill this year and I think that’s really, really cool and I would really like to see those guys play - no doubt. Lots of good bands are gonna be up there, but those are a couple of the ones I’m really excited about.

I'm looking forward to seeing them as well.
For you, does a live show adapt from say a smaller venue in NYC to a venue that is outdoors in Challis?
CC: Yeah, I mean, where you’re playing definitely affects the mood of any type of show and there’s a big difference between playing inside a dark club at night and then playing outdoors in the daytime. I prefer to play outside, I think a lot of people would. I think because, you know, up there in Idaho and stuff, roots music is so much a part of people’s lives, that’s something that I gravitate to and probably focus on even more - you know being up there for that show.

What about a set list? Do you prefer to follow one or play what strikes you?
I mean, the boys write set lists every day, I don’t particularly follow them though.

Switching gears, recently Rolling Stone premiered two new tracks that you did for The Next Waltz: "How Low Can You Go” and “River of Sorrow.” Would you kindly pick one and share the story behind it?
CC: Yeah, that Rolling Stone piece on that 45 we cut with Bruce and The Next Waltz - that was really a lot of fun cutting those two songs. I wrote both of them with friends. “River of Sorrow” kinda has a particular appeal to me. You know, it’s like - it’s the grind of life. You know life is a steady - it’s a lot of work. I think a lot of sorrow and sadness comes with struggle, but a way to purify yourself is to change it up and for me, is to keep moving. And there’s a line in the song - “I would stay here to keep working, but there’s no more water in the well.” I think anybody can understand that, but I have had some trials in my life that, maybe when I wrote the song I didn’t even quite realize the trials I was writing about. I can take a river of sorrow and turn it to something worth singing about.

I've always said that sad songs make me happy, there's something about them.
Now, you’ve lived and played in various parts of the world from NY to Paris to TX which I imagined have provided you an interesting perspective on life and music. You can hear various influences in your music, yet you’re seemingly grounded in the blues, what draws you to that sound?
CC: Yeah, when it comes to the blues, it’s not as much that I was drawn to the blues as I realized over time that the blues is what I was expressing. It took me a long time to learn that I was playing the blues. The blues to me is bad feelings coming out and the way that you put them out make you feel good, and generally speaking you’re playing, you know, one four five chords, which is why I have a hard time necessarily differentiating between what you might call country versus blues, or folk music versus blues, or country. For me I never really thought of them as separately, but I just think of - especially coming from the street - and coming from the naive way that I learned music, I think blues is the natural, is kinda the universal thread of any type of genre that you want to label it. Hank Williams was a blues singer.

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After Idaho, you are headed out on an overseas tour. Are there any new places you are headed to or any that you have been to and cannot wait to get back to again? Additionally, many artists have said the crowds overseas are incredibly attentive, courteous and appreciative. Have you found that?
CC: Europe’s a mixed bag, you know? We love going over there. Each country is different. I’m particularly looking forward to going back to Spain, France, Germany. We really had a great time last time we played in Germany. I mean yeah, we’ve been well received all over there. I would say that people in Europe are not as hard to reach with roots music as Americans can be just because - number one, this is such a big country. And number two, there’s so much corporate radio music. It’s happening over there, but it’s just so much more like that here and I feel like it’s harder to break through and get people to pay attention to what you’re doing. I think we’re playing in Switzerland, but I can’t remember. So if we are - yeah, we’re playing one festival there I think and that’s going to be real exciting. We drove through there and played in Zurich once and it was really beautiful and the crowd was great. So if the Swiss are listening, we’re coming for you!

With having accomplished much, is there any bucket list item you have yet to cross off ?
CC: Yeah, you know I don’t think about bucket list items much, but something came to me when I was reading your question. There’s something I’d really like to do in the next year. I would love the opportunity to meet Mrs. Loretta Lynn. I’m such a big ole fan and I’ve seen folks out there that have been able to meet her and I’d like to join that club. There’s a lotta people I’d be grateful to co-write with, you know I got a song coming out actually with my friend Evan Felker that I’m real proud of called “Borrowed Time.” And he and I ended up writing it on their bus traveling through Nevada last year. That was kind of a bucket list item for me, but I didn’t even see it coming. I guess that’s the thing, a lot of the best stuff you get to do in life you don’t even plan for. 

Finally, as someone who was a “one to watch” is there anyone out there now who is someone whose music you are digging and think is an artist listeners should put on their radar?
CC: Someone to watch that I think is worth putting on the list: Yeah, a couple of gals right now I would shout out would be Miss Carson McHone out of Austin, Texas. Just every time I see her I think she’s so great and original. Very authentic roots singer. One to watch. And also my friend out of Kentucky, Miss Kelsey Waldon I think would be another one. She is just so good. We saw her sing with - she just signed to John Prine’s record label - and we saw her singing with him at the Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville a ways back. And I can’t think of the last time I heard a better singer than Miss Kelsey Waldon. Yeah, her and Carson. Hasta la vista!


​To stay up to date with Charley Crockett
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2019 Braun Brothers Reunion
Challis, Idaho
August 8-10th
​Purchase: 3 Day Pass $129.30
Purchase: 2 Day Pass Friday and Saturday ONLY
​
The BBR is held rain or shine.
Tickets purchased online will be picked up at will call at the venue.
Tickets are Non-refundable.
Kids age 5 and under are free.
Kids age 6-12 are $15 a day and can ONLY be purchased at the front gate even if its sold out.
Kids age 13 and up pay full adult price.

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