A feud between country singer Charley Crockett and rock veteran Jack White spilled into public view Tuesday after Crockett posted and later deleted comments on Instagram targeting White over the Twin Temple tour controversy that erupted last month.
The dispute traces back to Crockett dropping the Los Angeles band Twin Temple from his tour. A spokesperson told Billboard at the time that the reason was their satanic imagery, with the official quote reading: "I thought they were like Black Sabbath, but they ain't. Not today, Satan." Twin Temple openly embraces what they call Satanic doo-wop, and the removal drew attention quickly. Jack White then invited the band to open some of his shows in the wake of the fallout.
According to Rolling Stone, Crockett used his since-deleted Instagram post to say the band "made it up and dragged me by a rope real good." He directed specific criticism at White, claiming the former White Stripes frontman "used it to sell ticket too and I lost a lot of respect for him." Crockett also questioned why White "wasn't so outspoken" during his White Stripes era 20 years ago, suggesting the band "purposely avoided political issues" and that White was "worried about losing audience back when it was all on the line and he needed all the help he could get."
Rolling Stone noted that the White Stripes did in fact engage political topics during that era. The band released the Grammy-winning song "Icky Thump" in 2007, which included the lines, "White Americans, what? Nothing better to do?/ Why don't you kick yourself out? You're an immigrant too." White has also been a frequent public critic of Donald Trump across both presidential terms, calling him a "wannabe dictator" and objecting to his use of White Stripes music at campaign rallies.
White, 51, responded Tuesday night on Instagram. He wrote, "I never said nothing about this young buck before but since he's trying to drag me into this here rodeo again, here's my official response to Cowboy Charley's accusations."
What followed appeared to be lyrics to an original, unheard song. The lines read in part: "So you think you're bad, with your rap / Well I'll tell ya pilgrim I started the crap / When you were in diapers and wetting the sheets / I was at the Ponderosa rapping to the beat."
Twin Temple has not issued a new public statement in response to Crockett's deleted post. Crockett has not publicly addressed White's Instagram reply as of Tuesday night.
