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Charley Crockett doesn’t take breaks. Until this album, his discography – consisting of 14 albums, including a live one – were all released independently via his own record label, Son of Davy. 

So in January, when Crockett announced that his 15th record Lonesome Drifter was to be released under major label Island Records, I was apprehensive. I didn’t want Crockett to lose his anti-establishment, lone ranger/cowboy sound, and I feared that because he was signing to a label, that would mean that he was at the mercy of record giants who would try to tell him what he could and could not do when it came to his own record. 

My fears were quickly assuaged, however, as it only takes a few minutes of listening to Lonesome Drifter to realize Crockett hasn’t lost his sound at all, and in fact, with the record, Crockett finds himself bristling slightly against his new arrangement.

In a message sent to his mailing list, Crockett stated, “I fell into this troubadour life, looking for a way to live on my own terms. I didn’t like the idea of being fenced in, sold off, or played out. That’s why I started riding trains in the first place. Some say time is money. I say time is a train, and I’m running alongside it on the only highway.”

Signing with Island Records followed Crockett’s first Grammy nomination for “Best Americana Album,” and his release of $10 Cowboy, one of two full-length albums that he released in 2024. 

Life as a lonesome drifter 

The album opens with the title track, depicting blue-collar life set against a laid-back groove. In the second verse, Crockett croons, “Everybody’s working in them cotton fields / Just a little bit different than they used to feel, yeah / Everybody’s waiting on that rising sun to / Drop down, turn red, and be done.” 

Crockett’s music often explores themes of self-reliance, hard times, and suspicion of the establishment. His music reflects a journey of train-hopping, street corner busking, and traveling to and fro, and his sound inevitably lands somewhere at the intersection of country, folk, and blues. Though his music has led him to selling out venues all across the US, invariably, the inspiration for his music still comes from the years in which he struggled to survive in a rigged system.

The second track, “Game I Can’t Win,” is a classic country track that sees Crockett directly addressing his relationship to the music industry and alludes to his recent relationship with Island Records. He sings, “Them boys in Nashville, they don’t mess around / Better watch ‘em when your deal goes down / Gotta play along, let ‘em lead you by the hand / And they love it when you don’t understand / You didn’t hear it from me / They can’t stand to see you free.”

“Under Neon Lights” depicts Crockett’s childhood, growing up with a single mother who worked two jobs to support him and raise him to be an honest man. Crockett croons about how he instead turned to stealing, wheeling, and dealing: “My mama raised me / With two jobs slaving / Still always saying, ‘Son, live honestly’ / Thought I’m ashamed now / I started stealing / And double-dealing down under neon lights / Under neon lights / It sure gets bright / And you can lose your mind / Under neon lights.” 

“This Crazy Life” sees Crockett offering a view into his life, though he doesn’t necessarily try to make any sense of it. “This crazy life / Will lead you down a long and winding road / It will break your heart, tear you all apart / But it’s the only way to go.”

He further explores the idea of being self-made on various tracks throughout the album, including the honky-tonk “Jamestown Ferry,” the bluesy “Never No More,” and the closing track is his own take on the George Strait classic, “Amarillo By Morning.” Crockett’s cover beautifully pays tribute to Strait and the classic song, while also making it his own.  

The world of country music is oversaturated at the moment, but what the genre is lacking is real and honest outlaw Western music – and Charley Crockett is about as real as it gets. 

Listen to Lonesome Drifter below.