Over the past two weeks, it almost seems like we’re on the brink of a country music civil war, so to speak. After Charley Crockett penned a lengthy Instagram post criticizing the current state of country music, defending Beyoncé, calling out Morgan Wallen, and more, the “$10 Cowboy” singer sparked an online battle with Gavin Adcock.
Between Adcock calling Crockett a “cosplay cowboy” and “dipsh*it of the week,” among other things, Crockett also fired back, sending the “Need To” singer 60 roses along with a copy of his new record, Dollar A Day, and saying in a now-deleted Instagram post:
“Many men have tried to destroy me. I will not lose.”
Needless to say, Crockett and Adcock’s battle has sparked the age-old debate on authenticity in country music over the past two weeks, with many taking sides, name-calling, pointing fingers and proving what “real” country is.
After Benjamin Tod went scorched earth on Adcock, pop country and Morgan Wallen in a pair of lengthy videos on Instagram that were preluded by the title, “PISS ON BRO COUNTRY,” it looks like we have another player in this growing controversy: Paul Cauthen.
Taking to his Instagram story Thursday afternoon, Cauthen launched into a five-minute, rather comical rant calling out Crockett for lying about his background, calling him a “student of fairytales.” Interestingly, Cauthen did not once mention Adcock throughout the lengthy video, instead focusing all of his attention on the Texas singer/songwriter. I wouldn’t read into this as a defense of one side or the other, but more so, an indictment of Crockett based on Cauthen’s own personal experiences with him. He’s clearly not buying the “shtick.”
Beginning with the video, the “Slow Down” singer noted that Crockett presented himself as a whole different person when they met years ago, calling his persona “bullsh*t:”
“Charley boy, Charley boy, oh man. This fairytale’s getting outta hand. I know that you’re a student of country music and a student of all these fairytales that you have put out to the public, that’s really, I mean, just straight-up bullsh*t. I mean, I met you in uptown. You were DJing, and it was a whole different vibe going on then. And then from, I don’t know that point to let’s say 2020 or whatever, I guess you busked and lived in New Orleans, in San Benito, and you went over to your uncle or granddad, Davy Crockett’s house, and it’s just all bullsh*t, bud.
I mean, come on bro. Just play music and stop lying. I’m usually not the commotion stirrer, but I like to end bullsh*t. I really love to end it, and I want everybody to know that everything that’s been said about the past and you know, all this s***, it’s bullsh*t. And it’s just lies now. He kicks around, sings beats the sh*t out of his guitar.”
Pushing back on Crockett’s long-time claim of being related to Davy Crockett, he’d then go on to call Crockett a pathological liar:
”Stop being a pathological liar and thinking that you’re something that you’re not. You’re just a singer that’s ripping off the past, that’s bringing it in like it’s your blood and your sh*t. Well, you’re not related to Davy Crockett and you’re not f***ing Bob Wills. So just go play.”
After noting that he once gave Crockett one of his grandfather’s songbooks, Cauthen would then push back on his incessant need to talk about genre’s history, essentially imploring him to shut up and sing:
”I gave you one of my granddad’s songbooks on my back porch in East Texas where I grew up in the house that I grew up in. And this is getting to a point where you’ve gotta just play music and shut up about all the past and all what you’d think about genres and everything. It’s bullsh*t.
And everything that you’ve said about your past is made up. It’s a lie, but that’s okay. You know, people lie, but it’s just bullsh*t, buddy. And you know it. And I’m not gonna let up because I’ve worked too hard in this business to watch somebody lie to the fans.”
After saying that the “Jamestown Ferry” being related to Davy Crockett is as believable as him being the son of Dallas Cowboys legend, Emmit Smith, Cauthen then launched into a parody of “$10 Cowboy,” calling Crockett a liar once again:
“I’m a lyin’ cowboyFor a penny, I pineOh my gosh, I drink my moonshine, ride my saddle to work in AustinAnd I get in my El Dorado CadillacAnd look-y there, take a picture of me with the old rigs in the backOh the train tracks, oh cigarsOh I’ve been from here to f***ing MarsI was born in this county, left this county, then I went to this countyThen I met Davy Crockett and he’s my daddyYou’re bullsh*t”
Cauthen would immediately apologize for “being mean” before calling “$10 Cowboy” a good song. Praising him for being a great singer and performer, Cauthen closed the five-minute rant with one last plead to quit lying about his past:
“Charley, I love your music. I think you’re a great singer and performer. Wish you the best, but lying just doesn’t sit well with me. So just come out there and get on another podcast. Do your little Ted Talk and tell people, ‘Hey, you know, I’ve embellished the truth a little bit just so that I could get another leg up in the business.’ It sounds way better that I came from disparity and hoboing and train robing and shoot ’em up cowboy cap gun shit, but it’s just fairy tales.”
As of now, Crockett has not fired back at Cauthen, but if he does, we’ll let you know.
While you’re here, gas up a little Paul Cauthen with “Thankful,” from his most recent album, Black On Black.
