Leon Bridges and Charley Crockett first crossed paths in Deep Ellum a decade ago.
Now the pair of North Texas-bred performers, each of whom has scaled considerable heights in the years since, is hitting the road for a joint tour they’re calling “The Crooner and the Cowboy,” which kicks off June 5 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
Not to dash any local fans’ hopes, but the currently scheduled routing does not include any stops in North Texas — likely because those fans got a taste of what this tour will be like back in October, when Bridges, with support from Crockett, headlined a sold-out Dickies Arena.
Those interested in watching what Bridges, in a March 20 post to his social channels, called “50 percent crooner, 50 percent cowboy — two Texas boys bringing you the songs that got us here” will have to head south, either to Houston, on Sept. 21 or the scheduled tour finale in Austin, Sept. 23.
Opening acts for various stops on the tour include Noeline Hofmann, Reyna Tropical, Honky Tonkin’ in Queens and Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore.
Tickets for the entire tour go on sale March 28. One dollar from each ticket sold will be donated to Bridges’ charity, The Big Good.
“Me and Charley Crockett been chasing this dream side by side for a decade,” Bridges wrote in a March 20 post to his social channels. “We grew up in this thing together. From the smallest clubs you can imagine — places where you could hear a pin drop, or sometimes, folks talkin’ over the music. But we kept on grinding! Now, to be able to share a stage together and bring this tour to big rooms and amphitheaters … man, it feels full circle.”
The news comes as Crockett unveils his major label debut, Lonesome Drifter, which he co-produced with Shooter Jennings. Bridges continues to tour in support of last year’s Leon, which found him performing at venues across the country, as well as headlining the 2024 edition of the Austin City Limits Music Festival.
Preston Jones is a North Texas freelance writer and regular contributor to KXT. Email him at preston@kxt.org or find him on Bluesky (@prestonjones.bsky.social).Our work is made possible by our generous, music-loving members. If you like how we lift up local music, consider becoming a KXT sustaining member right here.
