Trace Keeps to Tight Summer Schedule

In an interview with Brandy McDonnell of the Oklahoman, Trace said he has wrapped up his eighth album and it will be released this fall.

"It's what puts groceries on the table, and it's what I've invested well over the last decade of my life doing. So, it's got to stay at the top of my career priority list,” Trace said.



As we all know that eighth album was to come out last fall, but because of the Apprentice gig, it was shelved in favor of the Greatest Hits II.



This year, I had it planned out perfectly. I was going to do about 90 shows and then be off the entire fall, get to hunt and fish and work on the farm. ... And then that ‘Apprentice' thing came up, and it just ruined my whole year,” Adkins said during a phone interview from St. Augustine, Fla., a stop on his tour.



Tonight Trace continues in that squeezed schedule with a guest appearance on NBC's Nashville Star and he has found time to lobby the Tennessee legislature in support legislation to protect school children with food allergies.



Tennessee Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker have announced they will co-sponsor the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act to develop voluntary guidelines for schools to prevent exposure to food allergens and ensure a prompt response when a student suffers a potentially fatal reaction.



Adkins tells CMT.com, "There have been no consistent standardised guidelines to help schools safely manage students with their food allergies (and) this bill will help keep kids safe while at school and parents will be more at ease knowing an action plan is in place."



This weekend Trace and company head to Kansas and then through the flood soaked midwest to Minnesota on their concert tour. Lets hope they stay on high ground.

Trace Updates, Fanfare, New Song

As we speak, Trace is meeting with fans at the CMA Country Music Fest Fanfare events. Pictures of Trace sightings are being posted on the internet from fans lucky enough to visit the event in Nashville and messages on Trace's fan boards describe a really good time.

In my search for info on Trace's next album, I found a posting on the boards from Trace's staff with news that he is about to release a new single from the new album. But, there was no hint about the song's title because Trace and manager have not decided which song to release. If the choice isn't obvious, it means there are several songs that have the potential to reach the top of the charts. At least that's how I choose to interpret that bit of info.

Just a reminder that it is a certainty we will get to hear a new song from Trace real soon. Trace, a former oil roughneck, (note: not redneck) has written and recorded a song called "Black Gold" that will open an upcoming truTV series of the same name.

The show, which premieres 10 p.m. EDT June 18, follows three drilling crews in their quest for oil in West Texas.

After Fanfare, Trace heads to Enterprise, AL, for the BamaJam. ZZ Top follows Trace on the Country Stage and another of his favorite bands, Lynyrd Skynyrd performs the night after.

Just for fun, I'm dusting off a Trace quote about them from 2003.

“I’m a country artist and proud of it,” Adkins says. “But, man, I’ve also got that wild streak in me, too, that I can’t wash away. It’s that 38 Special, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchett side of me. That’s why I cut ‘Know a Little’ for the King of the Hill movie soundtrack and did ‘Legs’ on the ZZ Top tribute TV show. I enjoy doing that stuff. It just feels good. In fact, most everything feels better now. I want to get back to having that joy for music that means you do it just for the pure love of doing it. That’s what I want to be like, and I’m getting that way. One day at a time.”