Charley Crockett

CRITIC’S PICK: Charley Crockett, Kashus Culpepper, The Eastern—It’s hard to imagine a more prolific contemporary country artist than Charley Crockett. Although he had been knocking around for years, his deep, roots/retro country debut arrived in 2017 (he had a blues one before that) and he’s knocked out eight more sets of originals, one of covers and a live set, since. And that’s including a year when he was recovering from open heart surgery. But it’s not just quantity. Crockett’s easy flowing music with its countrypolitan flourishes and everyman voice bring authenticity to his twang and strum. He’ll feature tunes from this year’s wonderful $10 Cowboy, in the running for his best, most soulful release yet.— Hal Horowitz