Charley Crockett in Concert is One for the Country Legend Books
— by Carrie Zukoski
Did seeing Charley Crockett in concert suddenly turn me into a country music fan? No. But did it immediately turn me into a Charley Crockett music fan? Yes. I had zero expectations going into the concert and came out wondering why I wasn’t familiar with the appeal of this man’s voice and swagger beforehand. Simply hearing his recorded songs does not do them justice. Seeing and listening to him perform his music live with a full backing band takes his sound to an entirely new level. Donning a simple white-with-brown-striped, pearl-snapped cowboy shirt, white cowboy hat, and jeans, Crockett commanded the front and center of the stage lined with yellow bulbs, with his name emblazoned largely at the back of the stage made up of the same vintage round golden bulbs, and brought nearly two hours of his traditional country songs to St. Louis on a sultry September weeknight.
The Grammy-winning Crockett kicked the night off with “Crazy Woman Ridge,” “Remembering Pat,” and “Kentucky Too Long,” which all came from his April album release, Age of the Ram. He then quickly transitioned to the fan-favorite, jangly “$10 Cowboy” and slid into “Welcome to Hard Times.”
About halfway through the concert, Crockett brought out the acoustic guitar and slowed it down a bit to perform “Hey Mr. Nashville,” “This Crazy Life,” and “All the Way from Atlanta,” showcasing his soulful crooning even more.
A Link Wray cover of “Fire and Brimstone” stoked the embers and brought the vibe up a notch for the next several songs that included “Lone Star,” “Trinity River,” and “Tennessee Quick Cash.” He ended the night with the rockin’ “Waylon Rides Again,” a sweet, lovely cover of Tanya Tucker’s “The Jamestown Ferry,” and “Run Horse Run.”
At 42, the Texas-based Crockett has an impressive catalog under his belt with 17 studio albums produced since 2015 alongside several other projects. If you’re a fan of ’50s and ’60s country music, Charley Crockett is the modern version you need.
Run, don’t walk to his concert if there’s one coming to a town near you between now and October 2, 2026, when this leg of his Age of the Ram tour ends.
Bloomington, Indiana’s Durand Jones and The Indications started the night with 50 minutes of their soulful R&B that harkens back to yesteryear just after a glorious pink and orange sunset sank beyond the horizon. On the first night of their time on stage with this tour, the soul revivalist band performed a solid, somewhat mellow set to the growing, polite crowd. Early on, they included the soft, swaying “Reach Out” as a special request shouted out from a fan in the front. Jones hit those high falsetto notes on more than one song, including “Can’t Keep My Cool” (that also included a little James Brown growl or two) and “Sea Gets Hotter.”
Find more photos here.
See Charley Crockett’s St. Louis concert setlist here.
