Charley Crockett to Tribute Country Roots with “Jukebox Charley”
One of the many reasons Charley Crockett is the reigning Saving Country Music Artist of the Year is because of all the effort he expends to make sure the roots of country music are preserved in the modern context, whether that’s through his live performances out on the road, or on his original studio records.
But in between his big releases and over consecutive years now, Crockett has released albums of tribute songs to the past greats of country and blues in his “Lil G.L. Presents” series. His last installment in 2021 payed tribute to James “Slim” Hand called 10 For Slim. His new one Jukebox Charley will take a more omnivorous approach to revitalizing classic tunes when it’s released on April 22nd.
“Jukebox Charley” isn’t just the name of an old Johnny Paycheck song. It’s a good term of endearment for Charley Crockett since he’s quickly proving that that he and his backing band The Blue Drifters can light into just about any classic country song you can call out, and as they prove with the track list of this new album, that includes some of the more obscure cuts from famous artists that deserve renewed attention.
Songs originally written and recorded by the likes of George Jones, Tom T. Hall, and Willie Nelson make the latest Lil G. L. Presents installment. Most of these songs will be new to many, and to the ones they’re old to, the spin Charley Crockett puts on them will make them new to them too.
“I’ve done a few Lil’ G.L. records now,” says Crockett. “This Jukebox Charley LP makes four. I wanted to really stretch out on this one and take some chances. Do something different. We took some risks and laid down a lot of lesser known, more adventurous classics. Hope folks pick up what I’m puttin’ down.”
Ahead of the new album produced by Billy Horton, Charley Crockett has released the song “I Feel For You” originally cut by Jerry Reed on his debut album in 1966. “It really spoke to me, hit me as a timeless song. Once we started the sessions for Jukebox Charley, it became clear this would be a single,” says Crockett.
Crockett also recently performed the song at Gruene Hall as part of CBS Saturday Morning’s “Saturday Sessions” along with “I Need You Love” (see below).
Jukebox Charley is now available for pre-order on vinyl and on CD.
– – – – – – – – – –
TRACK LIST:
1. Make Way For a Better Man
(Performer: Willie Nelson / Writer: Cy Coben)
2. I Feel For You
(Performer: Jerry Reed / Writer: Jerry Reed)
3. Lonely In Person
(Writer: Tom T. Hall)
4. Diamond Joe
(Performer: Various / Writer: Cowboy Traditional)
5. Where Have All The Honest People Gone
(Performer: Roger Miller / Writer: Dennis Linde)
6. Home Motel
(Performer: Willie Nelson / Writer: Willie Nelson)
7. Jukebox Charley
(Performer: Johnny Paycheck / Writers: Johnny Paycheck, Aubrey Mayhew)
8. I Hope It Rains At My Funeral
(Performer: Tom T. Hall / Writer: Tom T. Hall)
9. Heartbreak Affair
(Performer: Porter Wagoner / Writer: Kay Adams)
10. Battle With The Bottle
(Writers: Joe Avants Jr., John Koonse)
11. Out Of Control
(Performer: George Jones / Writers: George Jones, Derrell Edwards, Herby Treece)
12. Six Foot Under
(Performer: Bob Fryfogle, Others / Writers: Clint Lewis, James Hutchins)
13. Same Old Situation
(Writers: Wayne Kemp, Bill McDonald)
14. Between My House And Town
(Performer: George Jones / Writer: Sanger D. “Whitey” Shafer)
March 4, 2022 @ 9:53 am
Any one find a recording of that Tom T Hall song “Lonely in Person?” I am not familiar with it.
March 4, 2022 @ 10:05 am
I can’t find any info on this song, and spent about a half hour last night searching. No clue where Charley found it, but he had to dig for sure. Also, having heard a preview, it’s an excellent song, and Charley does a great job with it. It sounds like it would have been a hit in 1967.
March 4, 2022 @ 11:42 am
I was unaware of “Lonely in Person,” and I consider myself well-versed (no pun intended) with respect to the Tom T. Hall catalog.
The song can be found sung by Buddy Meredith on Youtube.
April 23, 2022 @ 5:44 am
He mentions in a new Billboard article that his girlfriend found Meredith doing it on a “very obscure” comp on the aforementioned Rice Records. And he talks about discovering Tom T. Hall wrote it:
“When we went to find out the publishing on the song, you have to go find the pictures of those old 45s to get an idea of who wrote it and do that detective work. Once we saw the 45, it said Tom Hall—it didn’t say Tom T. Hall. When they went to the publishers, they said it was a Tom T. Hall song.”
March 4, 2022 @ 12:43 pm
Discogs has his version of Lonely Planet as a promo single from 1964. It can also be found on at least 6 Country collections on streaming services like Tidal and Qobuz, for example 20 Country Love Songs Vol 3. ( a real title). I got completely carried away for the last couple of hours searching and listening to Buddy Meredith.
The perhaps most interesting collection is The Rice Record Story: Buddy Meredith with 6 Tom T. Hall songs. This can be streamed from Tidal and S******y. It can be bought on Amazon, but only as mp3. Some of the recordings sounds like they have been recorded from worn singles, so it may not matter. 5 of the Tom. T. Hall songs sounded good though.
March 4, 2022 @ 12:47 pm
Correction: Discogs has Buddy Meredith’s version … I edited too many times and his name ended up too far down…
March 4, 2022 @ 12:25 pm
From what I can find, a singer named Buddy Meredith was the only one to record it.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-rice-records-story-mw0002387293
https://youtu.be/499nxiDhQBE
March 4, 2022 @ 9:54 am
I know 3 or 4 of the covers
March 4, 2022 @ 10:10 am
This guy is pumping out the albums. Got tickets to see him later this month, not my usual cup of tea, but excited nonetheless.
March 4, 2022 @ 11:27 am
His output is impressive and I think he always delivers exactly what he intends. I caught him live twice in January, not my usual cup of tea either, for live music in particular, but the shows were a great time. I do wish his band would stretch it out a bit and jam from time to time because they are all killer players. But given the busking background, it makes total sense for Charley to keep tearing through songs.
March 5, 2022 @ 4:02 am
I caught a show of his and one of his band members played keyboard, accordion, trumpet and mandolin, all very well. I was so impressed I had to look up his name, Kullen Fox. Talented guy, he’s got a number of writing credits with Crockett too.
March 7, 2022 @ 2:28 pm
I’m seeing him later this month. Out of curiosity, where are you seeing him?
March 4, 2022 @ 10:18 am
I know it says “honest people” on his website, but I’m assuming that’s “where have all the average people gone”
March 4, 2022 @ 10:25 am
Unless it’s intentional and he changes the lyrics a little
March 4, 2022 @ 10:28 am
Yes, it’s the same song, just tweaked the title and lyric.
March 4, 2022 @ 10:44 am
I’m looking forward to this! I like early Willie Nelson, nice that Charley’s covering two songs from that era.
March 4, 2022 @ 11:47 am
I’ve tried, I really have, but now I change channels when he come on. I like singers who sing, not just mouth the words and talk the song.
March 4, 2022 @ 2:34 pm
I want so bad to like this guys music. But for some reason, I just can’t get in to it. I’ve tried and tried. Maybe this album will be the one that does the trick.
March 4, 2022 @ 5:08 pm
Same.
I like a few songs but most of it leaves me cold.
And I want to like it. I admire his hustle and drive.
March 4, 2022 @ 8:51 pm
FWIW, the last few records don’t do the live show justice at all in my opinion. The last show I saw (November) was nothing short of magical.
March 7, 2022 @ 12:46 pm
I second that comment! lol
March 7, 2022 @ 2:33 pm
Like Sierra Ferrell.
March 5, 2022 @ 4:02 pm
100%. It’s 100% undeniable why Keith Whitley or Vince Gill skyrocketted to fame doing classic country when it wasn’t fashionable in he 80’s. I find nothing inspiring in Charley’s vocals. It’s just boring.
March 16, 2022 @ 3:55 pm
Completely boring person and lyric writer, yes. Somebody has a lot of family money to spend.
March 4, 2022 @ 2:36 pm
Honest to goodness I was thinking this morning, “Hey, ain’t it about time for Charley Crockett to release a new album?”
Get out of my head, Charles (Charley)!!!
I will be seeing him (good Lord willin’) with Willie Nelson in Franklin, TN in May.
March 4, 2022 @ 4:25 pm
From the name of the tour (before I knew of the album) “Jukebox Charley Tour”, I told my wife “There’s going to be lots of covers involved. Whoot!”. Now we’re even more excited for 22 March.
March 5, 2022 @ 2:24 am
????bold comment alert ????
Charley is the man. Don’t get me wrong, i fuck with charley. But he churns out albums bc he’s got a formula. So he can churn out cover albums of great music like nobody’s business. But he doesn’t do a whole lot of inspiring, original, or new shit. Love charley. Think he’s great for the genre. But revolutionary?? Definitely not. Not that this piece argues that. Just a take.
Not-recent jeremy pinnell album rips pretty (really) hard.
March 16, 2022 @ 3:53 pm
Charlie ain’t revolutionary at all, he’s just trying reeeeaaaal hard for everyone/anyone to like him; despite not having anything original or inspiring. He’s bought a lot of the attention outright with his own money. WHO CAN AFFORD TO PUT THIS MANY ALBUMS OUT? none of his back stories even pan out I mean who can afford to panhandle in Paris? Did he hitchhike there? Do what? Besides Crocketts are like Rockefellers in Texas, get real this is a trust fund kid doing cos-play as a country singer. When this dude 1st landed in Dallas Texas he never even did a country song of any sort until he got a opening gig with Sugar biscuit bootlicking Turnpike Troubadours.
March 5, 2022 @ 12:24 pm
God bless Charley Crockett. Hope to see you back in the UK soon sometime…
March 5, 2022 @ 6:16 pm
Sounds like CC’s finding more obscure stuff. I haven’t heard the original versions of any of these, but I knew most of the songs from his last two Lil’ GL’s tribute albums.
Looking forward to it though. Charley Crockett always delivers.