Gary Allan – Ruthless (EMI Nashville) – Gary Allan releases his first album since 2013. Allan's return is produced by Tony Brown and Mark Bright, who have long been associated with the Californian's career. The release contains 13 songs.

Lara Hope and the Ark-Tones – Here to Tell the Tale (Sower) – Lara Hope and the Ark-Tones are a Kingston, N.Y. based quartet playing rockabilly, country, swing and roots rock. They wrote and produced the entire 11 song release.

Son Volt – Electro Melodier (Transmit Sound/Thirty Tigers) – Son Volt releases its 10th album. The title, taken from the names of two vintage amplifiers from the late '40s and early '50s, describes the album's blend of folk, country, blues, soul and rock. In addition to band founder Jay Farrar, the disc features band members Mark Spencer (piano, organ, acoustic slide, lap steel, backing vocals) Andrew DuPlantis (bass, backing vocals), Chris Frame (guitar) and Mark Patterson (drums, percussion).

Jim Lauderdale – Hope (Yep Roc) – Singer/songwriter Jim Lauderdale remains prolific, releasing his 34th album. The disc contains "Memory," the last song he wrote with the late Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter. "Hope" was co-produced by Lauderdale and his longtime collaborator Jay Weaver.

Alejandro Escovedo – La Cruzada (Yep Roc) – Alejandro Escovedo originally released "La Cruzada" as a Record Store 2020 special release. Now, the Spanish language version of his well-received 2019 disc, "The Crossing," will be out. The disc contains 16 songs.

Andrew Jannakos – Gone Too Soon EP (RCA Nashville) – Flowery Branch, Ga. native Andrew Jannakos releases a six-song EP. The title track earned him a chunk of airplay. Jannakos had a hand in writing every song.

Gary Louris – Jump for Joy (Sham/Thirty Tigers) – Gary Louris, lead singer of The Jayhawks, is out with a solo disc, which sounds far more often than not like his band. This is Louris' second album, a follow-up to 2008's "Vagabonds Along."

Brett Young – Weekends Look a Little Different These Days (Big Machine) – Brett Young releases his third-full length major label disc. "Weekends..." follows "Ticket to L.A.," which came out in 2019. The new set contains eight songs, including "Lady."

The Infamous Stringdusters – A Tribute to Bill Monroe (Americana Vibes) – The Infamous Stringdusters pay tribute to guitar master Bill Monroe with this seven-song set. Songs include "My Sweet Blue Eyed Darling" and "Dark as the Night." The effort was a pandemic project by the quintet of Andy Falco [guitar], Chris Pandolfi [banjo], Andy Hall [Dobro], Jeremy Garrett [fiddle] and Travis Book [double bass].

Southerland – Boot Up (River House/Columbis) – Southerland, the duo of Matt Chase and Chris Rogers, release their debut EP. Chase and Rogers, who played the same bar and club circuit together for three years before joining forces in 2019, released the single "Thing Is" in September 2020.

Ashley McBryde – EP Never Will: Live From A Distance (Warner Nashville) – Ashley McBryde will release a six-song EP based on her 2020 disc "Never Will." The EP includes six of the songs from "Never Will," including the current single "Martha Divine." McBryde helped write five of the six songs.

Rhonda Vincent – Music Is What I See (Self-released) – Rhonda Vincent, the Queen of Bluegrass, is out with a 12-song collection. Among the songs is the current single, ""What Ain't To Be Just Might Happen," which was written by Porter Wagoner. The late singer released the song in 1972. Vincent's disc was delayed by COVID-19.

Shannon McNally – The Waylon Sessions (Compass) – Long Island native Shannon McNally pays tribute to the late Waylon Jennings and Outlaw artists on this 13-song release. Jennings' widow, Jessi Colter, Buddy Miller, Rodney Crowell and Lukas Nelson all help out.

Blake Shelton – Body Language (Warner Nashville) –

Travis Linville – I'm Still Here (Blue Mesa) – Oklahoma singer-songwriter Travis Linville releases his 11th album.

John Hiatt with the Jerry Douglas Band – Leftover Feelings (New West) – Ace singer/songwriter John Hiatt combines with the Jerry Douglas Band, led by one of the best Dobro players in the world.

Gary LeVox – One on One (Big Machine) – Singer Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts fame releases his first solo disc. LeVox helped write two of the five songs on a faith-based album. Breland appears on "All I See," while LeVox's daughter, Brittany, provides vocals on "While I Wait."

The Steel Woods – All of Your Stones (Thirty Tigers) – Just as The Steel Woods completed their third album, "All Of Your Stones," tragedy struck hard. Band co-founder and leading light, 42-year-old guitarist/songwriter Jason "Rowdy" Cope suddenly passed away unexpectedly.

Alan Jackson – Where Have You Gone (EMI Nashville) – Alan Jackson releases his first disc in six years.

Kenny Chesney – Here and Now deluxe (Warner Nashville) – Kenny Chesney goes deluxe with "Here and Now." The dozen existing songs – including the number one title track, "Tip of My Tongue" and "Happy Does" – are being supplemented by four diverse tracks: "Wind On" from David Lee Murphy and Rodney Clawson, "Fields of Glory" from Josh Osborne, Ashley Gorley and Ross Copperman, "My Anthem" from Josh Osborne, Shane McAnally and Jason Gantt and "Streets," co-written with Tom Douglas.

Travis Tritt – Set in Stone (Big Noise) – Travis Tritt is back with his first album in 13 years. Produced by Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, The Highwomen, Sturgill Simson), the disc features 11 new songs, 8 of which were co-written by Tritt.

Miranda Lambert Jack Ingram Jon Randall – The Marfa Tapes (Vanner/RCA Records Nashville) – Miranda Lambert, Jack Ingram and Jon Randall went to Marfa, Texas last November and ended up with a 15-song record. Randall wrote "Tin Man" for Lambert, and that song appears here as well. Randall also produced Ingram's last two albums.

Ronnie Milsap – A Better Word for Love (Black River) – Country Music Hall of Fame legend Ronnie Milsap follows up his all-star "Duets" disc with a 10-song release. Teaming with longtime co-producer Rob Galbraith, the pair sought to celebrate the genre-blurring kind of country music with songs from the '70s through '90s. Guitarists Brent Mason, Steve Gibson, Mark Casstevens and Chris Leuzinger, bass player Michael Rhodes, drummer Lonnie Wilson, double steel players Mike Johnson and Paul Franklin, and Milsap's longtime musical director Jamie Brantley all play on the disc. The release starts with "Big Bertha," the last song Carl Perkins wrote. His wife sent it to Milsap to record. He enlisted Vince Gill for the fiddle-punctuated song.

Thomas Rhett – Country Again: Side A (Valory Music) – Thomas Rhett releases the first of two projects this year. It is said to be a trip back to his musical roots.

Jackson Dean – Jackson Dean (Big Machine Label Group) – Maryland artist Jackson Dean releases his major label debut, a five-song EP. Dean played some of the same clubs frequented by Brothers Osborne. Dean, who wrote two of the songs with Luke Dick, has a rock edge to his raw sound.

Ashley Monroe – Rosegold (Mountainrose Sparrow/Thirty Tigers) – Ashley Monroe releases her fifth album, although she went in a non-country direction.

Jameson Rodgers – In It for the Money (Columbia Nashville/River House) – Jameson Rodgers releases a seven-song EP, his first label release after two independent packages. He had a number one hit with "Some Girls," which is included here. The hit was the only song he did not help write for the EP.

Eric Church – Soul (EMI Nashville) – Eric Church is releasing three albums within one week. This is the third release in the set, which was recorded in North Carolina during Covid.

Justin Moore – Straight Outta The Country (Valory) – The eight-song release features the single "We Didn't Have Much" plus an acoustic version of the track. Moore's long-time producer Jeremy Stover was involved once again. Moore helped write one of the songs, "More Than Me."

Tracy Lawrence – Volume 1: Stairway to Heaven Highway to Hell (Self-released) – Tracy Lawrence is releasing a special project, "Hindsight 2020," a three-volume album that will be released throughout the year, celebrating 30 songs for 30 years of the singer's career. "Volume 1: Stairway to Heaven Highway to Hell" is Lawrence's first release from "Hindsight 2020." This 10-song collection features all new material from Lawrence, who penned 9 of the 10 tracks.

Elvie Shane – County Roads (Broken Bow) – Kentucky native Elvie Shane makes his debut with a six-song EP. Oscar Charles produced the set, which includes "My Boy," about his stepson.

Eric Church – & (EMI Nashville) – Eric Church is releasing three albums within one week. This is the second and is only being released to the Church Choir, his fan club.