In the midst of his endless travails spreading his home-spun wisdom across the land, vagabond songsmith Charley Crockett landed in the anointed offices of NPR Music for his Tiny Desk debut.
“The Man From Waco” came armed with an acoustic guitar and “The Magic Man” Kullen Fox who accompanied the singer-songwriter on piano, trumpet, guitar, and vocals. A lifelong busker who finally found his due recognition near his late 30s and after a brush with death due to a rare heart condition, Crockett paid no mind to the array of bookcases and musical ephemera as he made Bob Boilen‘s iconic stage into a honky tonk with a four-song performance.
Crockett had no shortage of material to draw from, having released five albums in just over two years. Beginning with “The Man From Waco”, Crockett’s deep timber and acoustic guitar act as a siren song to anyone who has—like Charley—been a wayward traveler. Fox’s grand piano only deepens the spell throughout the session, not missing a beat as he picks up a trumpet and plays both instruments simultaneously. Between songs, Crockett lays on some of his trademark charm, informing the audience, “My name’s Charley Crockett. That’s Charley with an -ey just like Pride, Crockett with two T’s just like Davey.”
The Texas-born troubadour’s live session includes five songs off three different albums, as well as one number that hasn’t seen a formal release, “The Death of Bill Bailey”. “Well I learned how to stand behind my guitar playing on street corners, and working farm parties all across America,” Crockett introduced the song. “Especially spent a lot of time in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana and I learned this old song written back in about 1902.” Crockett elaborated that a friend of his prompted him to write an original song based on the historical figure of Bill Bailey.
Watch Charley Crockett make his debut on NPR’s Tiny Desk. Crockett is gearing up for a run of Australian concerts before returning stateside in mid-April. Complete tour details are available here.
Charley Crockett – Tiny Desk Concert