Collie authors "Book of My Blues" CD

The themes in "Book of My Blues" - love, lust, betrayal, addiction, recovery, damnation, redemption - are derived from the graphic novel "Rockabilly Hitman," a long-gestating collaboration between Collie and film director Jonathan Hensleigh ("The Punisher," "Die Hard with a Vengeance," "Armageddon" and the soon-to-be-released "Ice Road"). The novel depicts the exploits of rockabilly singer Jesse Wayne Hardin, who by night is an avenger of evil, as he travels the hard backroads from Muscle Shoals to Memphis, from the Mississippi Delta to Music City.

"There are a lot of ways to describe the music, maybe roadhouse rock, Southern Gothic, Americana, country, but at its core, it's a reflection of me and many others who came before me," said Collie.

The album features 12 original songs written or co-written by Collie, plus three rockabilly classics – "Hey Boba Lou" by Ronnie Hawkins, Jacqueline Magill and Robbie Robertson of The Band fame, "Night Train to Memphis" written by Owen Bradley with Marvin Hughes and Beasley Smith, and "Matchbox" by Carl Perkins. The album was co-produced by Kenny Greenberg and Chad Cromwell.

Billy Bob Thornton, Tom Douglas, Gary Nicholson, John Scott Sherill and Jonathan Hensleigh all help out.

The songs "Born Ready" and "The Son of a Gun" have already been released. Collie is set to release the album's third single, "Book of My Blues," on May 14.

The track list is:
1. Book of My Blues (Mark Collie, Billy Bob Thornton)
2. Born Ready (Mark Collie, Kenny Greenberg, Gary Nicholson)
3. On the Wings of Your Love (Mark Collie)
4. Right This Wrong (Mark Collie, Kenny Greenberg)
5. Matchbox (Carl Perkins)
6. Holly Springs (Mark Collie, Kenny Greenberg, Chad Cromwell)
7. Unfinished Hurting (Mark Collie, Tom Douglas)
8. Queen of A Hungry Heart (Mark Collie, Kenny Greenberg, Chad Cromwell)
9. Sinking Sand (Mark Collie, Kenny Greenberg, Chad Cromwell)
10. Hey Boba Lou (Ronnie Hawkins, Jacqueline MaGill, Robbie Robertson)
11. Put the Gun Down (Mark Collie)
12. Walk the Floor, Kill the Lights, Slam the Door (Mark Collie, John Scott Sherill)
13. A Little Every Day (Mark Collie, Kenny Greenberg, Chad Cromwell)
14. The Son of a Gun (Mark Collie, Jonathan Hensleigh)
15. Night Train to Memphis (Owen Bradley, Marvin Hughes, Beasley Smith)