All that hard work over the last many years is paying off in spades for ol’ Charley Crockett. Just announced officially, Crockett has signed a major label deal with Island Records, and will be releasing his debut major label album called Lonesome Drifter on March 14th. The 12-track album recorded at Sunset Sounds Studio in Los Angeles was produced by Shooter Jennings.
“Shooter and I barely talked about it,” Charley says about the recording process. “I just brought all of my guys out, and the album made itself. It was live without a lot of overdubs. There were no inhibitions. I wasn’t being judged, and I didn’t feel self-conscious. Shooter knew how to cut loose and let this thing unfold.”
Crockett will release the title track and video on Friday (1-31), explaining about the track, “I started writing the song back when I was still playing in subways in New York. It’s how I learned to play electric guitar with an amp on my shoulder. While I was waiting for the next train, I wrote songs. A few years later, I was in California working on the ganja farms, and I came up with the ‘Lonesome Drifter’ section.“
Hopefully Island Records handed Crockett a big suitcase full of cash, and you know he wouldn’t take it if they didn’t let him keep all of his creative control. Wyatt Flores is also signed to Island Records, and it appears it’s worked out for him so far.
Things are starting to really fall into place for Crockett. After many hears of paying dues, you finally are seeing his name drift higher and higher on festival posters, and see the venues he’s playing continue to increase in capacity. This includes headlining Rodeo Houston on March 17th. And on Sunday, February 2nd, Crockett will be competing for Best Americana Album at the 2025 Grammy Awards.
Underscoring just how hardworking Charley Crockett is, he recorded Lonesome Drifter in March of 2024 before his album $10 Cowboy came out in April, and it’s companion album Visions of Dallas came out in July. Don’t be surprised if Crockett has more music up his sleeve for 2025 as well.
Peeping at the track list for Lonesome Drifter, it looks like we’ll hear Crockett’s version of “Amarillo By Morning” made popular by George Strait, as well as a new version of one of his signature songs, “Jamestown Ferry” originally recorded by Tanya Tucker.
Lonesome Drifter is now available for pre-save/preorder.
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TRACK LIST:
1. Lonesome Drifter
2. Game I Can’t Win
3. Jamestown Ferry
4. Easy Money
5. Under Neon Lights
6. This Crazy Life
7. The Death Of Bill Bailey
8. Never No More
9. Life Of A Country Singer
10. One Trick Pony
11. Night Rider
12. Amarillo By Morning
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source savingcountrymusic.com ’
