Friday Cheers Preview: Turnpike Troubadours with Charley Crockett

The final installment of this year’s Friday Cheers will have you reaching for some sweet tea and hankering for some delicious barbeque as two roots-driven country artists hitch their wagons along the James.

Charley Crockett was born into poverty along the Rio Grande and spent a lot of his life wandering the American Southwest, much like his relative, American folk hero Davy Crockett. Originally making his name as a blues singer, Crockett has expanded his repertoire to include hints of gospel, Cajun jazz, and honky-tonk. He recently recorded an album full of honky-tonk favorites written by the likes of Hank Williams and Loretta Lynn. He just released a new LP of original songs titled, “Lonesome as a Shadow.”

Here’s the lead single from the new album, called “In The Night.”

Turnpike Troubadours formed in Oklahoma in 2005 and have been rambling the highways of the United States ever since. The band often performs 100 shows a year, but they started small in dance halls in their home state, playing two-step songs to please crowds. That’s where they honed their brand of down-home country that leans a bit heavier on storytelling than the traditional country artists that inspired them. Their latest record, “A Long Way from Your Heart” peaked at #3 on the Billboard U.S Country charts and #1 on the U.S Indie and U.S Folk charts.

Take a listen to a song from that latest effort, titled, “A Tornado Warning,” live from Austin City Limits here: