Charley Crockett - Welcome To Hard Times

Released in 2020, Welcome to Hard Times finds Charley Crockett channeling personal trials into one of his most powerful statements yet. After surviving open-heart surgery, Crockett briefly considered slowing down — but instead set out to make a record that would, in his words, “change the entire conversation about country music.”

Produced by Mark Neill, the album was conceived as a “dark gothic country record,” and Crockett delivers exactly that. Written and recorded just before the pandemic, its themes feel uncannily in step with troubled times.

Beneath the grit and shadow lies a core of resilience. “I think you can hear that deep, dark sadness in this record,” Crockett says, “but I think it’s the kind of darkness that will uplift others.” With its mix of haunting ballads and defiant anthems, Welcome to Hard Times stands as both a personal testament and a universal salve.