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MUSIC PEOPLE
NEWS
MAY 2026 Volume 57 Number 05 Issue 675
Editor Kelly Gregory
Contributors David Allan, Janet Aspley, Donnie Ayers, Craig Baguley, Jonny Brick, Chris Brown, Tony Byworth, Rosie Carter, Don Cusic, Larry Delaney, Julie Flaskett, Marshall Gardener, Michael Hingston, Stan Hitchcock, Tony Ives, Sianna King, Spencer Leigh, John Lomax III, Bryce Martin, Adrian Peel, Paul Riley, Chris Smith, Tom Travis, Walt Trott, Dan Wallace, Dave Watkins, Jack Watkins
New release consultant Steve Tidbury
Photographers Patricia Presley, Barry Dixon
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Charley Crockett
COUNTRY TUNES ECHO THROUGH SPACE ON ARTEMIS II MISSION
C ountry music officially hitched a ride
beyond Earth as the Artemis II crew wrapped up their historic lunar flyby.
On April 10, the astronauts spent their final day in space listening to tracks from Charley Crockett and Zac Brown Band, part of NASA’ s long-standing tradition of using music to wake crews during missions. Over the 10-day journey, Mission Control at Johnson Space Center in Houston curated a mix of songs to start each day for astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, and Victor Glover of NASA, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
The playlist wasn’ t limited to country. The crew also woke up to a range of artists including Chappell Roan, John Legend, and David Bowie.
Still, it was country music that made a notable impression toward the end of the journey. Charley Crockett’ s Lonesome Drifter was among the featured tracks, marking a milestone moment for the artist. The song, released in 2025, carries a reflective, wandering tone that mirrors the isolation and vastness of space.
Zac Brown Band also earned a place in the mission’ s soundtrack. Their hit song Free served as the final wakeup call before the crew prepared for splashdown later that evening. Released in 2010, the acoustic ballad captures a sense of peace and freedom – an appropriate sendoff as the astronauts concluded their journey.
Music has long been part of spaceflight culture, helping boost morale and connect crews to life back on Earth. Over the years, a wide range of country artists have been included in mission playlists, from legends like Dolly Parton, George Strait, and Merle Haggard to classic acts such as The Osborne Brothers and Chet Atkins.
With Artemis II, that tradition continues – proving that even hundreds of thousands of miles from home, a good song can still feel close.
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