Charley Crockett and Jack White are trading public jabs after Crockett dropped a self-described satanic doo-wop duo from two of his July tour stops, only to see White scoop the band up for one of his own upcoming Los Angeles shows. The dispute, which began as a quiet lineup change, has since turned into a monthslong back-and-forth touching on artistic freedom, politics, and dueling claims about what actually happened backstage.
Twin Temple was originally set to open for Crockett on July 14 at McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale, Oregon, and again on July 18 in Paso Robles, California, before being pulled from both shows, according to Louder. Twin Temple announced their own removal from the bill on social media on July 8, and the band, formed in Los Angeles in 2017 by husband-and-wife duo Zachary and Alexandra James, has said Crockett cut them because of their satanic imagery, per the dossier's attribution to the group itself. Crockett, a Texas country singer and former Dallasite, has disputed that characterization of events, according to Dallas News.
Crockett's Account of the Split
In July, Crockett offered a blunt explanation for the split, saying, “I thought they were like Black Sabbath, but they ain't. Not today, Satan,” per Dallas News. He later expanded on that reasoning in an August 18 social media post, stating that production requests Twin Temple made during a tour stop in Wyoming a month earlier raised concerns, prompting him to watch their stage act himself, as reported by Holler. Crockett concluded, in his words, that “the vibe just wasn't right for an all ages audience.” He also said he paid Twin Temple in full for the two canceled dates, and he has maintained that the band invented the satanic-imagery explanation, framing the real story around those production requests and what he saw onstage.
The backlash to the cancellation was swift and, by Crockett's own account, unusually intense. He said he received more threats of physical violence over dropping Twin Temple than during any of his prior public disputes with country singers Morgan Wallen and Gavin Adcock, according to a report from Suggest. Crockett briefly wiped his social media accounts amid the July uproar before returning with a post reading, “F—K TRUMP, F—K EPSTEIN, BUT HAIL SATAN? NOT ME, JACK,” arguing that the fight was really about artistic autonomy and, in his words, “all the hypocrisy out here.”
Jack White Steps In
Jack White then invited Twin Temple to open his September 29 concert at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, using the phrase “Get in front of me Satan!” — a nod to The White Stripes' 2005 album *Get Behind Me Satan* — according to BrooklynVegan. Twin Temple accepted, calling White a lifelong musical influence. The band has also appeared on Comedy Central's *The Daily Show* amid the ongoing attention, and is preparing to release a new album, *Doomed Lovers*, in October, recorded with producer Shooter Jennings at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles under the duo's own label, Pentagrammaton Records.
White responded directly to Crockett online on August 18, and Crockett shot back the same day, telling Dallas News that White used the controversy to sell tickets and that he had lost respect for him as a result. Crockett also questioned White's political record in that post, arguing that White and The White Stripes “purposely avoided political issues” two decades ago despite releasing the 2007 track “Icky Thump,” as noted by Consequence. The jab is notable given White's recent political activity, including a lawsuit he filed against Donald Trump over the use of his campaign music.
Dueling Pop-Culture References
The August 18 exchange also spilled into a strange corner of pop culture. White posted verses from the 1984 hip-hop parody track “Rappin' Duke,” which references Kurtis Blow, Run-D.M.C. and Ronald Reagan, according to the seed reporting. Crockett answered with a clip of Marlon Brando in the 1961 Western *One-Eyed Jacks*, quoting the line, “You're the one-eyed jack around here, man. I've seen the other side of your face.” As Paste Magazine points out, Crockett had already referenced the same film in his June track “One-Eyed Jack,” and the choice carries a bit of extra symmetry since Crockett was born in 1984, the same year “Rappin' Duke” came out.
A Publicity Boost Nobody Predicted
Whatever the intent behind the feud, it has reshaped public attention around the two acts in a way that seems to favor the band that got cut. Search analytics reported in August showed Twin Temple's Google search interest jumped 180 percent in July following the cancellation, compared with just a 3 percent increase for Crockett over the same stretch, according to a report carried by Stereoboard. Search queries linking Twin Temple with both Crockett and White reportedly reached breakout levels.
Crockett, for his part, has kept moving. His “Age of the Ram” tour spans 49 dates between April and October, part of a run that has seen him release five albums since 2024, including *Clovis* in July, according to Whiskey Riff. He quickly sold out standalone album-release shows in Denver, Clovis and Dallas after the initial controversy broke. Crockett has also kept up a busy 2026 performance schedule elsewhere, including a March appearance at South by Southwest in Austin.
