Country fans who tune into Episode 3 of the new Netflix Western Ransom Canyon will get a special treat: A dance hall scene with a cameo from alt-country star Charley Crockett.

Crockett’s role on the series is a solid advertisement for his live show. He plays a performer onstage, singing his real-life songs “Spade” and “I Need Your Love,” and also showcasing a little bit of quippy onstage banter during his time onscreen.

The latter song — a “dreamy love ballad” — sets the scene for a romantic moment between main character Quinn and her love interest, Staten.

If you watched the episode and found yourself Googling “Who is Charley Crockett” afterward, you’re not alone.

Read More: Meet the Hot Cowboys of Ransom Canyon

To a sub-sect of alt-country fans, Crockett is one of the biggest names in the business. The Texas-born crooner is one of the genre’s most authentic cowboy stars, and he’s won multiple awards in the Americana format. But to mainstream listeners and terrestrial radio, Crockett’s music is still uncharted territory.

Who Is Charley Crockett?

Born in South Texas to a ranching family and descended — according to the singer — from frontiersman Davey Crockett, he grew up in a trailer park and first got into music through a love of hip-hop.

He came of age as a musician busking, or as he describes it, “hoboing.” Crockett performed in the streets of New Orleans, then traveled across the country after he learned to “jump on freight trains, hitchhike on the highway, and generally learned how to squat, sleep in parks and really learned how to hobo around,” he told the Dallas Observer in 2015.

Those days afforded him some stories that are almost too outrageous to be believed, like the time he got busted for traveling with “6 pounds of marijuana,” and he started playing Willie Nelson‘s “The Party’s Over” on his acoustic guitar when he saw the cops who were searching his car discover the suitcase.

Through a mix of charm, grit and steadfast commitment to musical authenticity, Crockett gained and lost a record deal after being discovered by a Sony executive while busking on the subway in New York City.

Despite some hard knocks, Crockett’s one-of-a-kind career trajectory has ultimately trended upward. The singer steadily gained a loyal following over the late 2010s and early 2020s, thanks to his robust delivery of studio albums and expertly entertaining live show. He has won major awards at the Americana Music Honors & Awards and Austin Music Awards ceremonies, and he was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2025.

Curious to learn more about this fascinating cowboy crooner? Read on for the Top 10 best songs to listen to in you want to get into Charley Crockett.