Charley Crockett doesn’t just play country music; he lives and breathes it. The Grammy-nominated troubadour, known for his relentless work ethic and signature “Gulf & Western” sound, is back with Lonesome Drifter, an album that distills his journey into twelve honest and lived-in songs.

Crockett’s first release on Island Records, Lonesome Drifter finds him teaming up with Shooter Jennings, the multiple Grammy-winning producer who knows a thing or two about the outlaw country spirit himself. Together, in just ten days at L.A.’s Sunset Sound studio, they cut the album live, capturing every note in the moment, allowing everything to feel like you’re stepping into a dusty roadside honky-tonk at closing time. Crockett’s ability to cross the lines between blues, country, and Americana is on full display here. From the first lonesome wail to the final strum of his trusty guitar, he takes stock of a life spent on the move – busking on the streets of New Orleans, cutting his teeth in Deep Ellum, and amassing a discography that already dwarfs most artists’ entire careers.

Following 2022’s critically lauded The Man From Waco and 2024’s Visions Of Dallas, Lonesome Drifter leans even harder into the fire and soul that define Crockett’s style. His vocals, a dusty mix of Ernest Tubb’s honky-tonk twang, Bill Withers’ smooth soul, and a touch of jazzy French Quarter swagger, make every line feel like a well-worn truth. Crockett never chases trends, only his own path, which is equal parts traditionalist and trailblazer. If Lonesome Drifter is any indication, he’s got plenty more road ahead, and he’s taking country music along for the ride.