The legendary Ricky Skaggs has recorded bluegrass versions of his biggest country hits for a new album called 'The High Notes.' The CD includes ten of Skaggs' No. 1 hits from the 80s, such as 'Crying My Heart Out Over You,' 'Heartbroke,' 'Cajun Moon' and 'Country Boy.' The 12-time Grammy winner's new album is being sold exclusively in Cracker Barrel Country Stores.

Skaggs has another album coming out July 7, as 'Ricky Skaggs: Best of the Sugar Hill Years' is set to hit stores. The album is a hand-picked anthology of hits from Skaggs' early career, including 'I'll Stay Around' and 'Little Cabin Home on the Hill.'

Sugarland's new album, 'Love on the Inside,' won't hit stores until July 29, but fans are getting an early special treat. The CD's Deluxe Fan Edition will be available July 22 with five bonus tracks, an expanded booklet and a free download of behind-the-scenes footage of the duo in the recording studio. Additionally, those who pre-order the album will get an instant download of its first single, 'All I Want to Do,' and the 'Life in a Northern Town' video.

'Love on the Inside' is Sugarland's third studio album. Its title reflects the album's theme from start to finish.

"We wanted to write a record about love," lead singer Jennifer Nettles told The Boot. "Not just romantic love or a record of love songs in the traditional sense, but all kinds of love -- the beautiful complexity of love. Self love, love lost, new love, pain from love, all kinds of love."

See the album's full track listing after the jump, and click here to pre-order on iTunes. Come back to The Boot on July 22 to read our full interview with Nettles, as she talks about everything from concert stunts to celebrity crushes.

Little Feat, a band well-known as the originator of the highly-covered song 'Dixie Chicken,' has amassed some of country's heaviest hitters for their upcoming release, 'Join The Band.' The album includes contributions by Vince Gill, Brooks & Dunn and Emmylou Harris. Gill lends his vocal abilities on a remake of 'Dixie Chicken,' while Brooks & Dunn collaborate on 'Willin.' Harris finishes out the song list by lending her harmonies on 'Sailing Shoes.' Not limited to country icons, the album also includes Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, and Jimmy Buffet, who makes two appearances on the CD, on 'Champion of the World' and 'Time Loves a Hero'.

Little Feat have long been immersed in country music. The entire band backed Travis Tritt on 'Bible Belt' for the soundtrack to the movie 'My Cousin Vinny.' Keyboard player Bill Payne played with Harris on several of her hits, as well as on 'Lookin' For Love' by Johnny Lee. Guitarist Fred Tackett counts Glen Campbell, Kenny Rogers and Clint Black among his credits.

Lee Ann Womack is back with her first new music in two years, and she has some heavy hitters on her side. Womack's upcoming album, 'Call Me Crazy,' features collaborations with George Strait and Keith Urban, and it was produced by the legendary Tony Brown.

"I'm so fired up to be back doing what I feel like I was born to do, which is making country music," says Womack of the new project. "The time I spent writing, looking for songs and meeting with Tony felt so effortless and natural."

'Call Me Crazy' will be Womack's seventh studio album. It's due in stores this fall.

No wonder Jessica Simpson made a commitment to country music! She had two of country's biggest superstars give her encouragement on her way up.

When Simpson was first mulling over the switch from pop to country back in 2005, she talked to her 'Dukes of Hazzard' co-star Willie Nelson about making the move. Her gave her a wholehearted thumbs up. Then recently, while working on her country debut, Dolly Parton gave Simpson her invaluable support.

"We were out here in Nashville writing and we set up this meeting with Dolly," Simpson told 'GAC Nights: Live From Nashville' radio show. "I went to her adobe, which is so cool. You walk in and she has a chapel and a beauty salon and ballet bars. I just loved being there in her presence. She listened to the album, and she was encouraging. She goes, 'I have to be a part of this record.' And so she gave me a handful of songs and she said, 'I got better ones!' And then days later, she sent me 12 more songs, and I chose the very first song -- it's called, 'Do You Know.' She wrote it, and it's such a great song, and I'm so blessed to be able to sing with her on it and have her be so much a part of my career."

Bluegrass icon Dan Tyminski releases his second solo album today. 'Wheels' is the follow up to his critically-acclaimed 2000 release, 'Carry Me Across the Mountain.'

Tyminski, a 13-time Grammy winner, is perhaps best known as the guitarist and supporting singer for Alison Krauss and Union Station. He was also the singing voice of George Clooney in the movie, 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' -- singing the song, 'I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow.' Tyminski has also recorded with an eclectic group of music superstars, including Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley, Rob Thomas, Reba McEntire and Joan Osborne, among others.

'Wheels' puts Tyminski at the helm of another all-star list of musicians. The album includes guest appearances by Ron Block, Cheryl and Sharon White and Vince Gill. You can listen to the entire album, track by track here.

Aaron Tippin says his dad always believed in and supported his music career. What better way to honor his father, who died in a car accident in 2005, than to title his latest collection 'He Believed: A Son's Tribute.'

The album's title track is one that Tippin's dad particularly loved. Half the songs are ones that were favorites of his father's; the other half is new material. The singer was careful to choose from among his biggest hits, including 'Working Man's Ph.D,' 'My Blue Angel,' 'I Got It Honest' and 'Honky Tonk Superman.' He also wanted to pick tunes that guys would like, since the CD came out shortly before Father's Day.

"The album will speak to anyone who has had a mentor, be it their father or another person close to them," Tippin explains.

Montgomery Gentry have the fastest rising single of their career with 'Back When I Knew It All.' Now, they're hoping the CD of the same name will grant them similar success. The duo's sixth studio album hits store shelves today. It's an album they say has a little rock 'n' roll inspiration.

"We were down in Ardent Studio [in Memphis], where a bunch of legendary rock acts recorded," says Troy Gentry. "We wanted to do something different."

"It just really had that great groove," adds Eddie Montgomery. "When you go in and you see where Zeppelin recorded, Bob Dylan and B.B. King. Man, the vibe. I don't know if you believe in ghosts or not, but I felt that the ghosts were in the room when you were singing and playing. So it was really cool."

The CD features two special guests on vocals: Toby Keith on 'I Pick My Parties' and Five For Fighting's John Ondrasik on 'Roll With Me.' Listen to Montgomery Gentry's full 'Back When I Knew It All' album, track-by-track, here.

Charlie Daniels is celebrating a milestone few entertainers reach -- his 50th anniversary in music. From his humble beginnings in North Carolina to worldwide fame, the music icon has enjoyed a career that has earned him hits on the rock, country and Christian charts and has collected him an impressive list of accolades. He has appeared in movies, authored books and released 50 albums.

The Boot sat down with the 71-year-old Daniels to talk about his new album, 'Deuces,' which features collaborations with Gretchen Wilson, Vince Gill, Brenda Lee, Brad Paisley, Dolly Parton and Darius Rucker, among others. We also chat with the famed fiddler about everything from rap to religion.

What keeps you still making music after all these years?

I love what I do. People say, 'Why don't you retire?' For what? You're supposed to retire to do something you want to do, and I'm doing what I want to do . . . I love being able to get up in the morning and think, 'I'm going to do something today that I thoroughly enjoy.'

"Singing is the easy part of my job!" Jewel jokes, proving to be a good sport after a harrowing flight. The famed singer-songwriter had quite a scary trip to our Beverly Hills studios, as her plane had to make an emergency landing at another airport. Still, she arrived cool as a cucumber to her AOL Music Sessions taping, dazzling us with a performance of songs from her new country album, 'Perfectly Clear.'

The 33-year-old songbird has made headlines with her move to country radio, but she doesn't really understand all of the fuss. Jewel says Nashville is where her heart has been all along.

"I didn't wake up and become somebody else on this record," she explains. "Something a lot of people don't realize is four of my six records were made in Nashville with Nashville players. I've been writing and recording in Nashville, because it's a great town based on talent. They don't trade on celebrity."

Long before he became a major Hollywood actor and an Academy Award winner, Billy Bob Thornton was once a roadie for many musical acts such as the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Johnny Paycheck and Blood, Sweat and Tears. While he took part in some partying as a roadie, Thornton remembers that time as being all work.

"I was this skinny longhaired kid that can barely lift a cabinet," he tells Spinner. "But I did it anyway. It was a hard lifestyle but you can imagine being that age and being close to something that you love so much, it didn't matter."

Those who are familiar with Thornton's career know that he has already recorded several solo albums, most of them incorporating blues, rock and country influences. Thornton's latest musical endeavor is the Boxmasters, a band featuring himself on drums and vocals, and J.D. Andrew and Mike Butler on guitars.

Faith Hill is already getting into the holiday spirit. The country superstar has announced that her next album will be titled 'Joy to the World' -- a CD of Christmas songs. This will be Hill's first holiday album, though she has had major success with a few individual Christmas recordings. Her 2002 hit, 'Where Are You Christmas,' was featured in the movie, 'Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas,' and she duets with Josh Groban on his 2007 holiday album, 'Noel.'

Visit CMT.com between now and June 4 for your chance to win two tickets to a special listening party for Hill's 'Joy to the World' album in Nashville.

Julianne Hough the dancer may soon be better known as Julianne Hough the singer . . . if she isn't already! The two-time 'Dancing with the Stars' champ and now country singer has the No. 1 album on the country charts this week. Her self-titled debut sold more than 67,000 copies in its first seven days on the shelves.

"Having the opportunity to make a record in Nashville and then getting to share that with the world is beyond my wildest imagination," Hough gushes. "There are so many people to thank for helping me achieve this dream . . . from my family, the writers and musicians, and to everyone at 'Dancing with the Stars.'"

Entertainment Weekly magazine has listed what it deems the "25 Country Albums You Need to Hear (Even if You Hate Country Music.)"

The artists who grace the list range from relative newcomers Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley to legends like Johnny Cash and Hank Williams. They also range from country traditionalists, such as Merle Haggard and Brad Paisley, to more left-of-center acts like Steve Earle and Gillian Welch.

See the full list of albums after the jump, then add your comments about which albums you think EW should have included on the list . . . and which they should have left off.

He made it all the way to the Top 7 on 'American Idol' before Phil Stacey revealed that he is a country singer. The unassuming Naval officer from Harlan County, Ky., found stardom with the hit show singing all genres of music -- an admitted strategy. But once 'Country Week' rolled around, 'Idol' judges and fans alike clued in on his little secret.

Stacey is now trying to make a name for himself beyond 'Idol' into the genre where he found his true voice. And so far, so good. He released his debut country album last month to rave reviews and has a rising hit on his hands with its infectious first single, 'If You Didn't Love Me.' Stacey sat down with The Boot to talk about new music, newfound celebrity friends and the most important ladies in his life. And we certainly didn't let him get away before getting his candid opinions on the current season of the show that launched his career.

'If You Didn't Love Me' seems to be an ode to your wife, Kendra.

Definitely! I think people are picking up on that, especially if they recognize me from 'American Idol.' They saw my wife sitting out in the audience every week. She's just been amazing, encouraging and supportive. She takes care of two babies by herself a lot. So I'm glad I got to record something that I wanted to say to my wife. It was written by Jason Sellers, Wendell Mobley and Gary LeVox, the lead singer of Rascal Flatts . . . which is really cool, because I'm a huge Rascal Flatts fan.

What other songs on your album make you think of your family?

'Looking Like Love' makes me think of my wife, because there's a line in it that says, "I took a chance and kissed you right on your smile." And the first day I met my wife, I tried to kiss her . . . and she laughed at me. So I ended up kissing her on her teeth, because she was laughing! And then we married four months after we met, and we've been together ten years now.