Charley Crockett - Lonesome Drifter (2025)

Lonesome Drifter is the new album from GRAMMY Award-nominated artist Charley Crockett. Crockett co-produced the album alongside multi-GRAMMY® Award-winning musician and producer Shooter Jennings. Over the course of just 10 days, they cut 12 tracks live at the legendary Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, CA. Crockett’s Island Records debut is a culmination of all that has come before, with the same unapologetic spirit, die-hard work ethic, and no-nonsense honesty that has driven his artistry across his 14 previous studio albums. In the end, Lonesome Drifter takes stock of Charley’s road in the rearview as it paves a path into the future.

During the sessions, Charley and Shooter invariably bottled “the magic of performance on tape.”

“Shooter and I barely talked about it,” says Charley. “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.”

His vision crystallizes on the first single and title track, “Lonesome Drifter.” A rolling drumbeat and steady tambourine underscore the slow-burning vocal delivery, “I’m just a lonesome drifter on the only highway.” Guitar wails like a siren in the background until Crockett’s fret-scorching solo shakes the bridge. The visual translates the tune’s energy to the screen, speaking to his incredible journey thus far in the process.

“I started writing the song back when I was still playing in subways in New York,” he recalls. “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. When I arrived on the West Coast, I worked to stay out there as a drifter, so I could get away with playing music for a living. At night, I was doing heavy electric blues and hillbilly shit at local bars for six hours. Shooter got me back into that mindset. The burden of becoming a troubadour is you’re standing in a position that gives you a clear perspective of the struggles of humans. When all is said and done, everyone is just swinging a hammer to survive.”

In many ways, the title track evokes the essence of the album itself. For years, Crockett has quietly swung the aforementioned hammer to survive. He’s kept his head down and delivered music at a relentless pace, refining his “Gulf & Western” sound, and playing just as hard on the road to boot. Moreover, he busted ass to evolve as both a songwriter and a performer.

All of that work and life effectively prepared him to record ‘Lonesome Drifter’ with Shooter. Musically, he traces a roadmap through his own myriad of influences, tipping a hat to everybody from Waylon Jennings, Bill Withers, Bob Dylan, and Woody Guthrie, drawing on countless, often unbelievable true experiences since he first left his native Texas. From the spellbinding vocal performances to the raw and rustic instrumentation to the unforgettable storytelling, Lonesome Drifter stands out as his most cohesive body of work to date.

As such, the album is the sound of dues paid, strength gained, and wisdom earned shared on tape.

TRACKLIST

1. Charley Crockett - Lonesome Drifter
2. Charley Crockett - Game I Can’t Win
3. Charley Crockett - Jamestown Ferry
4. Charley Crockett - Easy Money
5. Charley Crockett - Under Neon Lights
6. Charley Crockett - This Crazy Life
7. Charley Crockett - The Death of Bill Bailey
8. Charley Crockett - Never No More
9. Charley Crockett - Life Of A Country Singer
10. Charley Crockett - One Trick Pony
11. Charley Crockett - Night Rider
12. Charley Crockett - Amarillo By Morning