Lionel Richie Releasing Album of Country Duets

When someone says “country music,” Lionel Richie is not the first artist that comes to mind. Yet, the “Hello” crooner announced yesterday that he’s releasing a disc of country duets, titled Tuskegee. Not necessarily truly new material for listeners, Tuskegee pairs the singer with top country musicians Jason Aldean, Chesney, Billy Currington, Little Big Town, Tim McGraw, Jennifer Nettles, Rascal Flatts, Darius Rucker, Shania Twain, and Blake Shelton to re-record some of his old hits.

Richie said about the album: "I was born and raised in Tuskegee, Alabama. I am a country boy and proud of it. To do this project just felt natural."

He added: "Growing up with Country, R&B, gospel, and classical music from my grandmother and pop, Tuskegee was the perfect melting pot for my influences as a writer, and the title, ‘Tuskegee,’ is a validation of my growing up there--the place I call home."

Although Richie’s songs fall within the larger spectrum of pop, the singer mentioned that he has frequently envisioned a country side to his music: "As my songwriting progressed, I realized that my songs perfectly translated to the Country genre."

The full tracklist for Tuskegee is:

1. "You Are" with Blake Shelton

2. "Say You, Say Me" with Jason Aldean

3. "Stuck On You" with Darius Rucker

4. "Deep River Woman" with Little Big Town

5. "My Love" with Kenny Chesney

6. "Dancing On The Ceiling" with Rascal Flatts

7. "Hello" with Jennifer Nettles

8. "Sail On" with Tim McGraw

9. "Endless Love" with Shania Twain

10. "Just For You" with Billy Currington

11. "Lady" with Kenny Rogers

12. "Easy" with Willie Nelson

Richie will be performing various tracks from the album at the upcoming CMA Awards. However, this isn’t the singer’s first time performing at the annual event. In 1984, he did “Lady” with Kenny Rogers and, two years later, performed “Deep River Woman” with Alabama. About Richie’s presence at the awards show, CMA Chief Executive Officer Steve Moore said in a statement: "Twenty-five years is too long to wait and we are thrilled to have Lionel back on the CMA Awards stage performing alongside our superstar acts. This is what the CMA Awards are known for. Those one-of-a-kind collaborations you don't want to miss because everyone will be talking about it the next day."