"Lifted" Among New Non-Musical Projects For Trace

According to Country Standard Time, once Trace finishes his current run on Toby Keith's America's Toughest tour, he will head back to Nashville to make more music, and to focus on the non-musical things he has going for him. Numerous news outlets are reporting on one of those "things" he is working on - a new Indy film titled “Lifted”.

The short, $675,000 film is about a father who encourages his son to pursue his dream of becoming a singer against strong obstacles. (Trace's role in the film has not been released, but we know he does not appear as the "father".) The project introduces twelve-year-old Uriah Shelton in the central role of Henry Matthews, and includes Nicki Aycox, James Handy, American Idol’s Ruben Studdard and, of course our guy, country music singer Trace Adkins.

Alabama Gov. Bob Riley's office announced last week that Alan Hunter and Hugh Hunter, two Birmingham filmmakers with an Academy Award to their credit, will produce the first film to qualify for economic incentives under the state's new law designed to attract more entertainment industry business. Their credits include the 2003 Academy Award for Best Short Film, "Johnny Flynton."

They began filming Monday on "Lifted."

Lexi Alexander, whose credits include Punisher: War Zone and Green Street Hooligans, is directing this film about a singing prodigy who gets inspired to win a contest when his marine father is deployed to Afghanistan.

“At the end of a long audition day a young actor walked in who grew up in Mobile, Alabama and didn't know that he could sing until a few weeks prior to the audition,” says Alexander.

“Aaaah, in my next life I want to be handed the sheet music to AIN'T NO SUNSHINE, listen to the original a couple of times and then be able to sing it perfectly a cappella. That's what URIAH SHELTON did in the room, after he broke our hearts with a beautiful and emotional reading. Needless to say, we all believe wholeheartedly that young URIAH was destined to be in our movie.”

Alexander promises frequent updates on the movie production. “You will be updated about LIFTED a lot, since one of our Executive Producers, TOMMY ALASTRA, is an internet genius who is on a mission to create awareness for independent films on the web with his company TENTPOLESTER. They will start a campaign for LIFTED within the next few days and I will let all of you know where to go for updates.”

"This movie will employ more than 160 Alabama residents in front of and behind the cameras, and it is very clear from the script that the story is set in Birmingham and rural Alabama," Riley said.'Lifted' will be first film for Coronet.