Shelton, Corbin, Gokey offer new music

Tuesday, March 2, 2010 – Blake Shelton, an ex-Idol and a country newcomer with a top 10 hit are among the releases out today.

Shelton may be blazing new trials with "Hillbilly Bone," a six-song EP. The release is part of a marketing plan to release new music more frequently with another six-song EP out later this year. The title track is Shelton's latest hit and features Trace Adkins.

Easton Corbin is a new artist with a hit under his belt with A Little More Country Than That on his self-titled debut. Carson Chamberlain produced the 11-song disc, which echoes George Strait.

Danny Gokey of American Idol fame releases his debut, "My Best Days." Gokey, a former church music director from Milwaukee, placed third on the eighth season of Idol. His first single is My Best Days Are Ahead of Me.

Rounder Records, the home of Alison Krauss and Mary Chapin Carpenter, sponsored a 40th anniversary concert last fall in Nashville. That concert is now seeing the light of day on an 18-song release. Among the songs are Restless and Gravity with Krauss & Union Station with Jerry Douglas.

Rootsy/Americana veteran John Hiatt returns with "The Open Ride." (New West).