After a number of complications, and a fair share of waiting, Charley Crockett’s Clovis record is back in the hands of the fans… and the work put forth should earn him a Grammy for Best Traditional Country Album. It was late in April when fans of Crockett were stunned to see an unexpected album drop into their lap just three weeks after his highly anticipated Age Of The Ram was released. There were a lot of questions from the masses, but not from Charley… he described Clovis becoming available as, “You can drop a f***ing record whenever the f*** you want.” And that’s what he did. Though that didn’t play out exactly how he or his fans would have liked. Legal issues with the release – most likely stemming from his previous home at Island Records – made Clovis disappear from streaming as quickly as it had appeared. Ever since, fans have clamored for it to become available again. Today’s the day. Clovis is both a record and a statement. The 14-track album features a number of originals co-written by Charley and his frequent collaborator, Shooter Jennings. It also features a Johnny Cash cover, “Don’t Take Your Guns to Town,” and boasts a handful of other co-writers. And when you take a look at the entirety of Clovis, it’s clear that the album exists to spite the experience he’s had depending on previous labels (he’s now releasing this one through Atlantic Outpost). I mean… feel free to call any of these connections a stretch, but the first track of the album being “The Hallelujah Trail” after parting from his former record label can’t be a coincidence, right? The characters within the story the song – Cuatro and Cholla – might even represent Charley and Shooter themselves: “Cuatro, and Cholla, the best of friends Cuatro died but then he came back again A fabled story, away out west He rides forever, no fear of death Out here on the Hallelujah Stick it to ya, outlaw trail!” Then you’ve got Crockett’s Johnny Cash cover, “Don’t Take Your Guns to Town,” which tells the story of a man named Billy who gets shot down. His previous Age of the Ram project was fully encompassed by a fictional outlaw named Billy McLane. That right there seems like an intentional cover choice. And in “I Ain’t Riding Anymore,” which has one of the most infectious riffs of any song released this year, Crockett sings of being tired of the chess game that is the music industry, and continuing on his music career for himself and himself only. That same sentiment is echoed in “Waylon Rides Again,” which doesn’t need much of an explanation. Literal chains are used as a musical instrument in that one, and the final song of the album is Charley Crockett riding off into the sunset with lines like this: “I’ll admit there’s somethin’ out in Tennessee But on my life it ain’t ever done much for me. They all know, ain’t no use to pretend.” Though that’s the perfect exclamation point for Clovis, one of the best lines in the new album finds a home in “Honky Tonk Philosophy.” If there was a set of lyrics that seemed to capture Crockett’s current mood the best, it just might be the subtle line proclaiming that he’s done being anyone else but himself: “There was a time when I missed my self, But that was when I was someone else.” Now that he’s broken from the chains of his former record label, and now saddles up with Atlantic Outpost, it’s a new era of Crockett’s career. Charley will likely set out to do whatever he wants, when he wants to… as long as there’s no legal hangups, of course. After all, following a brief hiccup, he’s already tapped into that power by pushing to and ultimately releasing Clovis, and arguably overshadowing Age of the Ram by doing so. The intentional overshadowing, the “I can drop art whenever I like” attitude, the inconvenient spat of fighting the law… it’s all fitting. Clovis is Crockett stepping into the outlaw role himself, standing up against those who he felt were holding him down and announcing to the world that he’s riding again. That’s why the record might be the most important work of Charley Crockett’s already impressive career. It’s a stellar album front to back, and I’d argue that Clovis showcases Crockett’s range better than any of his previous albums, and that’s no slight to his sprawling catalogue. It’s rather just an exemplary compliment of the second project of his to release in 2026. The mixing on “Hallelujah Trail” is majestic (no surprise there with Shooter producing), and feels fresh. The storytelling and structure of “Top Hand” sounds like its from a different era, as does “Last Night At The Alamo.” Heck, the title track of the album is a four-plus-minute cinematic score. Clovis is unique and intriguing at every corner, and fits into country music past, present and future, all at once. Which is why I could definitely see Charley Crockett accepting a Grammy for the project in 2027. It’s a surprise album that has all the feel of a magnum opus. Dream Chaser by Willie Nelson would probably like a word, but Clovis has to be the leader in the clubhouse for the Best Traditional Country Album at the 2027 Grammy Awards right now. And that’s a category that Charley Crockett is familiar with. Just last year, the Recording Academy put his Dollar A Day record up against Margo Price’s Hard Headed Woman, Willie Nelson’s Oh What A Beautiful World, Lukas Nelson’s American Romance, and Zach Top’s Ain’t In It For My Health. Top actually walked away with last year’s Grammy in that category. But in 2027, the Grammy for Best Traditional Country Album should be Crockett’s to lose. Clovis is a masterpiece, and could go down as the country crooner’s best ever work (so far)… and that could be confirmed by Charley going from Grammy-nominee to Grammy award-winner. Go ahead and listen to a few of the tracks here, but make sure to do yourself a favor and listen to the album front to back: “Hallelujah Trail” “Last Night At The Alamo” “Don’t Take Your Guns To Town”   “I Ain’t Riding Anymore”   “Waylon Rides Again” The post Charley Crockett’s Grammy Award-Worthy ‘Clovis’ Finally Makes Its Triumphant Return first appeared on Whiskey Riff.