Charley Crockett takes his music career in a new direction with his current album, Lonesome Drifter, which was released on Friday (March 14). Over the last ten years, Crockett has released 14 albums on his independent label, Son of Davy, partnering with Thirty Tigers for nine of those releases. “The last few years, all the majors started calling,” Crockett says, admitting that he almost signed with Columbia Records, the home of two of his musical heroes, Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. But Island Records proved to be a good fit for the independent-minded artist. “Island agreed to all the things I was looking for, which was I wanted to maintain ownership and have creative control,” he says. Crockett co-produced Lonesome Drifter with singer-songwriter-producer Shooter Jennings, son of Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter, with the record being the first in a planned trilogy of releases. “I just got the second one done, and I’ve got the theme and sketch of the third one done,” Crockett reveals. (Billboard)