Trace Adkins has set an August 2, 2011 released date for his brand new album Proud To Be Here. The announcement was made in front of thousands of fans on Saturday night during Adkins' 13th consecutive CMA Music Festival performance at LP Field in Nashville, TN. The album Deluxe Edition will be available for presale on iTunes on July 12, 2011.
"Proud To Be Here was chosen as the album title some weeks ago because it's how I've felt ever since my first album release and during every milestone since. The title song could have been based on my life and it's about narrow escapes and the grace that guides you through. Obviously, now after the fire, Proud To Be Here takes on an even greater significance. Once again, I've been blessed and everyone is safe. I don't even want to think what could've been had it started at 3am instead of 3pm..." said Trace.
Recorded in the Spring of 2011 and dubbed PROUD TO BE HERE last May, the album was produced by Kenny Beard and Mark Wright. The album contains 10 tracks with an additional 4 tracks appearing on the Deluxe Edition. The Deluxe Edition includes Trace and Blake Shelton (courtesy of Warner Bros. Records) on a hilarious response song called "If I Was a Woman," co-written by Trace Adkins, Sherrie Austin, Jeff Bates and Kenny Beard.
Trace's own co-writing is more prominent on PROUD TO BE HERE than on previous releases – a fact he attributes to the creative environment he has established on his farm outside of Nashville. The farm didn't only inspire new songs, it also recently served as the location for the "Just Fishin'" music video, starring youngest daughter, Trinity Adkins.
Lead single, "Just Fishin'" (Casey Beathard, Monty Criswell, Ed Hill) was produced by Michael Knox and is a father's tender tribute to his daughter. Adkins' signature subject range is present once again on PROUD TO BE HERE, whether he's cursing his brother Clay for moving in on his lady on "Damn You Bubba," or celebrating the simple pleasures in life with "Days Like This." Meanwhile, the album's title track, "Proud To Be Here," (Chris Wallin, Aaron Barker, Ira Dean) reads like a page out of Trace's 2007 autobiography and will strike a chord with everyone who can look back gratefully on the grace that guided them through narrow escapes.
Narrow escapes have famously been Trace's luck in life – his most recent being the house fire that claimed his Tennessee home on June 4. After reassuring fans that he and his family were safe, the Country star redirected offers of support he received to those hit by recent floods and tornadoes in the South, asking instead that support be sent to the American Red Cross*.
PROUD TO BE HERE - FULL TRACK LIST BELOW:
1. Proud To Be Here (Chris Wallin, Aaron Barker, Ira Dean)
2. Million Dollar View (David Lee Murphy, George Teren)
3. Days Like This (Trace Adkins, Casey Beathard, Kenny Beard)
4. That's What You Get (Rivers Rutherford, Aly Cutter, Kenny Beard)
5. Just Fishin' (Casey Beathard, Monty Criswell, Ed Hill)
6. It's A Woman Thang (Craig Wiseman, Jim Collins)
7. Love Buzz (Casey Beathard, Kendall Marvel)
8. It's Who You Know (Rivers Rutherford, Wendell Mobley, Kenny Beard)
9. Poor Folks (Ray Scott, Phillip Moore)
10. Always Gonna Be That Way (Dallas Davidson, Chris Tompkins)
DELUXE EDITION:
11. Damn You Bubba (Chris Wallin, Bruce Wallace)
12. More Of Us (Casey Beathard, Phil O'Donnell)
13. If I Was A Woman ft. Blake Shelton courtesy of Warner Bros. Records (Trace Adkins, Sherrie Austin, Jeff Bates, Kenny Beard)
14. Semper Fi (Trace Adkins, Kenny Beard, Monty Criswell)
*Donations to Red Cross relief efforts: Call 1-800 RED CROSS; Text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Message and data rates may apply; Log on to http://american.redcross.org/TraceAdkins