The speed with which Charley Crockett writes, records and releases his music belies the careful attention he applies to his craft.
In less than a decade, the 40-year-old, Dallas-raised singer-songwriter has turned out a staggering 13 studio albums, two EPs and a live album — a rate hearkening back to the glory days of country music, when it wasn’t uncommon to see musicians release two or more albums in a year.
Crockett’s latest, his 14th studio album, Visions of Dallas, arrives three months after $10 Cowboy — indeed, the album cover positions Dallas as “Chapter II” of $10 Cowboy — and quite literally picks up where Cowboy left off.
“We recorded the songs during the same sessions as $10 Cowboy down at Aryln Studios in Austin,” Crockett said in a statement. “Could have released a double record. But then Taylor Grace wrote ‘Visions of Dallas’ in a hotel room overlooking that city. She thought about my relationship to Dallas and the great state of Texas in general, and suggested we do a second album where all the songs tie back to Dallas and Texas. The result is Visions of Dallas.”
Visions of Dallas is a frequently gorgeous collection, anchored by Crockett’s pungent purr. Crockett has swiftly carved out a space for himself as one of country music’s leading practitioners.
By embracing the no-muss, no-fuss approach of the greats and marrying with a relentless work ethic and 21st century sensibility — few musicians better understand the social media currency of a riveting image than Crockett — he has catapulted himself into the front ranks of Texas artists and stands poised on the cusp of superstardom.
Crockett’s touring schedule brings him close to North Texas over the next few months — Aug. 14 at Tulsa’s Cain’s Ballroom; Aug. 30 at the Fillmore in New Orleans; Aug. 31 at the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium; Sept. 3 at Houston’s 713 Music Hall; Sept. 4 at Oklahoma City’s Criterion — but as for now, no DFW dates are on the horizon.
Preston Jones is a North Texas freelance writer and regular contributor to KXT. Email him at [email protected] or find him on X (@prestonjones). 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.
