Charley Crockett Goes Full Gonzo to Get “Clovis” to Fans
The gloves are off, and Charley Crockett is not waiting around for an amicable solution to try and get his new album Clovis to fans.
Crockett surprised dropped the album recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, and co-produced by Shooter Jennings on April 28th. Coming less than a month after he’d released his last album Age of The Ram through Island Records, the album was clearly a shot across the bow at his previous label, if not an outright attempt to undermine the sales of Age of the Ram in spite.
Though Crockett never exactly said what his beef was with the label, he did say, “Every time I find out I signed a deal I don’t like, and I go to these fuckin’ business people, and tell them I don’t like the deal, I don’t think it’s fair, they say ‘Tough luck kid, you shouldn’t of fuckin’ signed it.’ As soon as I hold them to that same standard, I’m the fuckin’ bad guy,” (laughing).
It also happens to be that Clovis was very well-received by fans, and might be one of the best albums of Crockett’s career. Saving Country Music recently named it one of the Best Albums of 2026 So Far.
Ever since the album was pulled on May 6th, there have been murmurs from both producer Shooter Jennings, and Charley Crockett that the album will return “soon.” But in truth, it’s likely not up to them. It’s up to courts, lawyers, and Island Records, who likely has Crockett dead to rights due to contract violations after he released Clovis so close to his last album on the label.
On Thursday (6-4), Charley Crockett took to social media to proclaim, “Free Clovis. I can’t release the album for a minute, but I don’t see why you can’t help me out with that. Looks like some of y’all already have. I got a loyal street team around this week in Nashville. I’d be there but I’m in some legal trouble I won’t bore you with. They’ll be handing out CDs for free. You know, the way I got here.”
Sure enough, someone has loaded up a version of Clovis onto YouTube, and at least at the moment, it hasn’t been yanked. Fans are also passing bootlegs back and forth at shows and on bit torrent sites like it’s 2003.
And yes, there is confirmation that street teams have been handing out Clovis during CMA Fest this week in Nashville, and two Charley Crockett semis are parked just outside of the CMA perimeter, repping the independent country star, captured by Circle of Country.
One big question that remains is what exactly was Charley Crockett’s beef with Island Records that made him feel he needed to undercut his own release? As we speak, Island is still promoting Age of the Ram, with the album currently sitting at #3 on the Americana Radio Albums chart. Did Charley Crockett just feel like he wasn’t receiving enough promotion or attention? Or was it something more sinister than that?
Either way, Crockett going on a full court press to get the record to people is not only undermining his ability to profit from Clovis, but for Island Records to do so as well, and probably for them to profit from Age of the Ram too. And what is the “legal trouble” that is keeping Crockett out of Nashville at the moment? Is he speaking to his ongoing fight with Island, or something else?
Crockett’s currently on a short lull on his tour. But he has been playing Clovis in concert, and has new shows set to start back up on June 17th in the Northeast. And yes, Crockett did start his career out by handing out CDs. That’s how Evan Felker of the Turnpike Troubadours found out about him at a show at Gruene Hall in Texas.
As was said about a month ago when Clovis initially disappeared from streaming, it’s likely the saga with this album is just beginning. It could take months for this to resolve, and Crockett might not be helping his legal prospects by doing what he can to get the album distributed anyway. But it definitely is an Outlaw, gonzo move that might be gaining him more attention than if Island just let Clovis ride.
Stay tuned.
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June 5, 2026 @ 9:24 am
most importantly whose the blonde
June 5, 2026 @ 9:59 am
Drama and gimmicks.
Anyway, Brent Cobb put out a really nice little album of acoustic songs today – just trying to make a decent livin’, not a killin’. If you’re exhausted by the blowhards in the country music rat race (self-proclaimed independent, or commercial), give that a listen. I heard there’s some other good releases out today, too. Songwriters and performers keeping the artform alive need the support.
June 5, 2026 @ 10:23 am
Whatever is done is already done. The first album has already been undercut, and there’s no getting it back up to the top. Island knows this, but knows that it has to act to prevent future artists from doing the same.
I’m surprised nobody has tried uploading the album to streaming services under alternative artist names or something.
June 5, 2026 @ 10:27 am
“I’m surprised nobody has tried uploading the album to streaming services under alternative artist names or something.”
I’m sure they have, and the album is up on YouTube currently. But there’s no way the Spotify/Apple system would allow that. They’ll detect the copyrighted material immediately.
June 5, 2026 @ 1:27 pm
4 days on YouTube and no songs in 5 figures. Nobody cares but the peanut gallery won’t let this dead horse die.
June 5, 2026 @ 10:27 am
Cost effective fake controversy-publicity with the blessing of Island records.
Be on the lookout for Charley Crockoshett and his “street teams” handing out “free” merch.
June 5, 2026 @ 10:57 am
There is no economic universe where any of this is could ever be done for “cost effective publicity,” and anyone who is asserting that would have to be just as ignorant to say Crockett would pay for two semi trucks and two tour buses to drive from Texas to the Canadian border just to purposely be turned around and cancel an entire tour—while still paying his full band and crew for the entirety of the tour, mind you—for a “PR” move.
Is their “PR” behind handing out CDs during CMA Fest? Sure.
Both Charley Crockett and Island are hemorrhaging money on this deal. The only one making a profit is the lawyers.
June 5, 2026 @ 1:09 pm
Neil Young did it.
June 5, 2026 @ 4:23 pm
That makes no sense at all.
June 5, 2026 @ 10:50 am
Once I found a version on YouTube, I may have used a service for converting the songs to MP3 before they get taken down.
I stress the word that I *MAY* have
June 6, 2026 @ 6:49 am
If it meant that the artists would produce music worth listening to, it would also be worth to pay for the music.
But that train left years ago.
June 9, 2026 @ 6:32 am
If I had had the foresight to download from Amazon quicker when it was available, I would have gladly paid for it. I don’t believe in downloading music surreptitiously. If/When it becomes re-available for purchase, I will pay to download it to support Charley. In the meantime, it seems Charley WANTS the music to be heard.
June 5, 2026 @ 11:08 am
Am I the only person in the world that grew up hearing horror stories about how exploitative the record business is toward artists? How are people like sturgill and charley and oliver anthony still falling for it? lmfao. I’m not trying to be rude, but like, the industry is infamous for this exact thing and has been for longer than i’ve been alive. And I’m not even in the creative arts industry.
It’s like a big manhole open on the sidewalk and there’s caution tape all around it but somehow people keep falling into it. At some point it’s not the manhole’s fault anymore.
June 5, 2026 @ 12:53 pm
Guys like Sturgill and Charley aren’t naive, they just know how to manipulate and string their fanbases along with drama and gimmicks that make them look like victims and heroes simultaneously. Classic narcissist/main character instinct and behavior – which can be advantageous in the entertainment industry.
June 5, 2026 @ 1:11 pm
Right you are, Tex.
June 6, 2026 @ 6:21 am
Correct
June 9, 2026 @ 7:15 am
Taylor Swift is a master of the strategy, too.
June 5, 2026 @ 11:13 am
It seems like Charlie should get a good lawyer yesterday and start listening to him, but there’s none so blind as the one who won’t see. I think the suits at Island are going to take him for the shirt on his back.
June 5, 2026 @ 12:41 pm
Charley vs Ticketmaster and Live Nation next!
Partially joking but good for him.
June 5, 2026 @ 1:13 pm
Eddie Vedder vs. Ticketmaster
June 5, 2026 @ 2:59 pm
“If he’d just pay me what he’s spending to make me stop robbin’ him, I’d stop robbin him”
People love to pontificate on his motivations when frankly, if you listen to his lyrics (particularly on Clovis) – you get a pretty honest look at what you get. Not to mention his countless videos, articles, etc. Anyway, some people love to hear themselves talk when they don’t know their foot from their mouth.
June 5, 2026 @ 3:09 pm
Whatever the reason hes sure getting a hunka hunka free publicity
June 5, 2026 @ 3:59 pm
The way he worded that statement “as soon as I hold them to the same standard….” Is interesting. Is he implying they (Island) came to him to renegotiate their deal? Which then pissed him off so he dropped Clovis before it was time maybe? I read it that he thinks he’s got them by the short hairs.
June 5, 2026 @ 4:31 pm
I’m a fan of his but he already floods the market with so much product that Island had to know it wouldn’t be long before he put something else out. Maybe not weeks though. Kind of a dumb move on his part really. I will say Clovis is better that any of the 3 Island releases.
June 5, 2026 @ 6:09 pm
This is tacky as hell, and that’s coming from a fan. I love the album, but the man’s got to grow up. Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered.
June 5, 2026 @ 7:22 pm
Charley goes into detail regarding his Island records contract:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRHhkbeczT0
June 5, 2026 @ 10:56 pm
Interesting but pretty much the same stuff he’s said before. It sounds like Island violated his contract somehow or tried to walk back some of the agreements they made.
June 5, 2026 @ 10:59 pm
Yeah, there’s not really anything detailed there. My guess is Charley’s not at liberty to talk about it in detail at the moment.
June 6, 2026 @ 2:55 am
Yeah, there’s a more complete interview with Joseph Hudak of Rolling Stone’s Nashville Now podcast from last summer where he goes into detail about making sure he had creative control and the ability to set his own release schedule written into his contract. That’s what makes me think the label tried to renege on something and now their lawyers are fighting it out.
June 6, 2026 @ 3:07 am
I like charley but i feel the blame is on him here. May be some other things going on but i think hes created a lot of his own drama. I also didnt think clovis was all that. It was fine but as an album, it wasnt betfer to me than age of ram in my opinion. I can see where some might like clovis better depending on what you like about charley in the first place though. But just move on and have smarter people check these deals out before you sign onto them next time.
June 6, 2026 @ 4:31 am
…if charley ever gets a stained glass church window anywhere but nashville – or a shrine in the n.y. subway – it’ll be displaying the free distribution of his cds. iconic crockett by now, it seems.
June 6, 2026 @ 6:51 am
No one knows the ins and outs of the dispute but I hope it gets resolved soon. I want to be able to purchase Clovis on CD (it is a really good album as I Age of the Ram). I am not sure I can see any winners from this dispute. My guess is that this is costing Crockett a lot of money especially as he financed the album.
June 6, 2026 @ 7:18 am
This is all such a shame because “age of the ram” is such a great record as well. It may not be Clovis but its solid as hell.
But we don’t know what the story is when everything comes to life for all we know Charley might’ve been in the wrong but I honestly doubt it with the music business being what it is. Although anything is possible.
June 6, 2026 @ 12:12 pm
Age of the Ram is hardly dead. It was #1 on the Americana charts right after it came out and has been #2 or #3 every week since. Charley has two singles on the top 50, with Kentucky Too Long hanging in after reaching #1 in early April, and Lonesome Dove rising. According to the YouTube videos posted by fans, he’s doing several cuts from AOTR on each show, plus a couple from Clovis and a bunch of earlier material. It’s not like he’s letting it die.
June 6, 2026 @ 8:21 am
Do new cars have CD players?
June 6, 2026 @ 10:07 am
In the UK, sadly, no. Probably the same elsewhere, mostly geared to streaming.
June 8, 2026 @ 12:21 pm
Charley recorded Clovis in the same studio Buddy Holly recorded most of his his music. I bet Charely recorded more songs than are on Clovis. He should rerelease it with some extra bonus tracks. Give me a reason to buy it Twice. Bought it on Amazon before they took it down.
June 8, 2026 @ 2:56 pm
So did I. They were only in the Petty studio for six days so it’s possible these tracks are all they did. OTOH, Dollar a Day was recorded over a period of months and Shooter has what looked like a dozen tapes for it.
June 10, 2026 @ 2:12 am
If Mr. Crockett is handing out free records, I am handing out free lyrics should he possibly wants to use them. Here are some lyrics in the style of HARDY wait in the truck meets Johnny Cash meets Jerry Reed. Here’s to Clovis II:
It was me
In a flash I saw the light of the moon,
reflected in whatever was in his hands
After I made the mistake of speaking too soon,
and just before another one of his rants
I blamed the whiskey, and the good Lord,
for the things he did, and all of this mess
But I wasn’t the only one who scored,
as he was blaming me, and continued to transgress
I am not sure what I had done,
if I was good or bad, right or wrong
The angel on the one, and the devil on the other shoulder,
seemed to either fade away, or merge as I grew older
All I knew is that I didn’t want to be
in any way like him, so I thought it was me
In a flash I saw the buckle in the air,
after which I briefly closed my eyes
I couldn’t watch her get hit sitting in her chair,
at least not the first whack, before the cries
I blamed myself, and the Devil,
for the things he did, and all of this mess
Maybe one day things would be more level,
so I could finally make it stop, and alleviate her stress
I am not sure what I had done,
if I was good or bad, right or wrong
The angel on the one, and the devil on the other shoulder,
seemed to either fade away, or merge as I grew older
All I knew is that I didn’t want to be
in any way like him, so I wished it was me
In a flash I saw the side of my face,
reflected in the mirror as I passed by
After I walked up the darkened staircase,
and just before watching him die
I couldn’t blame the whiskey, the Devil, nor the Lord
As I was sober, and conscious of what I had done
In his final moments he wasn’t even floored
because he knew why, and saw the gunman: his own son
I am not sure what I had done,
if I was good or bad, right or wrong
The angel on the one, and the devil on the other shoulder,
seemed to either fade away, or merge as I grew older
All I knew is that I didn’t want to be
in any way like him, so I decided it was me
Now, I could have run,
or made it seem like a break-in
But I still had the gun,
and in the rear-view mirror I saw a grin
If I would have blamed something or other,
I would also break a promise to my mother
You see, I told her I would never become,
like the man that gave her her son
In a certain way I could also see,
that I was now finally free
The time behind bars would probably be,
less than the time he had taken from me
So I decided then and there,
to just drive to the station and declare
that I had been the one who made the mess,
and to state that I would fully confess
So, I said my prayer and took my key,
and walked through the doors and said it was me
I simply told them what I had done,
and that he shouldn’t have laid his hands on my own son
I am not sure what I had done,
if I was good or bad, right or wrong
The angel on the one, and the devil on the other shoulder,
seemed to either fade away, or merge as I grew older
All I knew is that I didn’t want to be
in any way like him, so I said it was me