Several prominent country artists have joined a growing Texas debate over artificial-intelligence data centers, raising concerns about their effects on rural communities, water resources, land and the power grid.
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Country singer-songwriter Charley Crockett has, as usual, been the most vocal about his anti-A.I. and data center stance, but other country musicians have joined the cause. Willie Nelson and Tanya Tucker have both publicly opposed data-center development in rural Texas.
Nelson objected to a proposed data center near Abbott, Texas, warning about its potential effects on water and the surrounding community. Tucker separately urged Texans to oppose projects that she said could damage ranches, wildlife, water resources and the land.
Charley Crockett Setting The Record Straight
Crockett initially sparked confusion with a July social media post. He criticized celebrities who campaign against data centers while frequently posting videos and other content that depend on data centers to run.
The San Antonio Current subsequently described Crockett as supporting data centers. Crockett then rejected that characterization and said he opposed both data centers and artificial intelligence.
“Wow. So now a newspaper in San Antonio is presenting me as pro data center. What a riot. Funny how they didn’t mention I called out the tech billionaires behind them for buying our elections just a few months ago,” began his long response. “I’ve been speaking up against AI since way before it was popular to do so, I just wasn’t really on the map.”
In a later social-media post, Crockett said he had criticized AI before the technology became a major cultural issue. He also argued that people who oppose data centers should acknowledge their own reliance on smartphones and social media, which depend on data centers.
Crockett then explicitly aligned himself with Nelson and Tucker. He shared photographs with both artists, and wrote, “Btw I stand with Willie Nelson & Tanya Tucker against data centers in our rural Texas communities.”
“These are 2 of my biggest influences who I owe a great deal of my own success to directly. I’m proud to call them both friends. Real Texans look out for each other.”