Charley Crockett "The Valley"

When it comes to country, blues, and everything in between, Charley Crockett is a human encyclopedia and consummate performer of it all. And if you’re looking for more “diversity” in country music, Crockett has you covered there too, with African American, Jewish, and Caucasian blood coursing through his veins and a history with Cajun culture, all while being a direct descendant of Davy Crockett if you can believe it.

At this point we’re just lucky to still have Charley Crockett around. While the Texas native was getting ready to have surgery for a seven-year-old hernia condition he’d been suffering from, he was diagnosed with a major heart condition. Born without one of his heart valves, it was determined Crockett needed open heart surgery or he would likely suffer major heart failure in a year or two. The diagnosis resulted in Crockett having to cancel numerous appearances and put other plans on hold in late 2018. Luckily everything worked out for Crockett, and after a few months on the mend, he was back on the road, playing Stagecoach in the spring, making his Grand Ole Opry debut in June, and appearing at the Newport Folk Festival July 26th.

Crockett is also readying the release of his fourth album in two years called The Valley, and many of the songs chronicle Crockett’s struggles with his serious health condition, and the re-evalation of life such an experience can inspire. Recorded just a week before he went in for surgery, The Valley will be released on September 20th via Son of Davy/Thirty Tigers.