Irish-born singer Maura O'Connell has always had a steady stream of musical compatriates assisting her on record. And her latest album, an a capella collection provocatively titled 'Naked with Friends,' is no exception.

Among the artists joining the Grammy-nominated songstress this time around are Dolly Parton and Alison Krauss, both of whom she has recorded with in the past. Maura's critically-acclaimed disc, 'Blue Is the Colour of Hope' featured Alison, while the following year, Maura contributed harmony vocals to Dolly's 'Slow Dancing with the Moon' album. Other guests on 'Naked with Friends' include Jerry Douglas, Tim O'Brien and Sarah Dugas of The Duhks.

Brooks & Dunn, the most awarded duo in country music, are set to release their third greatest-hits compilation late this summer.

GAC reports that the career-spanning '#1s ... and then some' will be released on September 8 and will feature a whopping 30 tracks, 23 of which have topped the country charts. The duo's first four singles, taken from their debut album 'Neon Moon' are featured on the new collection as well. All four of those singles reached No. 1 on the country chart.

For Terri Clark, the journey to her latest CD has been a difficult and unusual one -- to say the least. While recording an album for BNA Records in 2007, Terri learned that her mother Linda had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, which had invaded her pancreas and was at first thought to be inoperable.

While trying to stay focused on her recording career, Terri began to realize she needed to do things a little differently. So she took the unheard-of step of asking to be released from her recording contract in order to make an independent album that was, in her words, "more personal, more country, more raw."

Brad Paisley has a lot to smile about these days. He's happily married to the girl of his dreams with two adorable sons, and professionally he's on quite a roll. He won the last two Country Music Association Male Vocalist of the Year awards and the last three consecutive Male Vocalist honors from the Academy of Country Music. He's sold more than 10 million albums and has scored 14 No. 1 singles, including his most recent hit, 'Then,' which spent three weeks at the summit. Today, he unleashes his eighth album, 'American Saturday Night.' Before heading out on tour with openers Dierks Bentley and Jimmy Wayne, Brad previewed the new record for The Boot at Blackbird Studios, shared some photos on his iPhone of his boys and pal Little Jimmy Dickens, and talked about music, married life and why you can never have too much mustard.

What was on your mind as you were making 'American Saturday Night'?

I was looking for some uncharted territory as an artist, because six albums in -- not counting a Christmas and an instrumental album -- that's a lot of ground that's been covered. So what am I doing? How can I make that even better? Where can I go that I haven't gone? And what are people feeling? What am I feeling? These times are fairly uncertain, but at the same time I have this really hopeful outlook that comes from having two little boys now -- both of them, in some way or another, spitting images of me. Songs are certainly influenced by how I see the world now through a couple of other sets of eyes. On top of that, I'm touring the country at a time when I'm seeing different things on the faces of people, and one thing I'm seeing is how important it is that I'm telling their story. They deserve that kind of honesty out of me.

New music from Tim McGraw is finally headed our way. The country superstar is set to release his first album in more than two years this fall. Titled 'Southern Voice,' the CD is said to be a little different than anything Tim has done before, pushing the boundaries of country music.

The album's first single, 'It's a Business Doing Pleasure With You,' hits radio today. It was written by famed country tunesmith Brett James and Nickelback's Chad Kroeger. The song is a humorous jab at the price of love.

Since the mid-1960s, Hank Williams Jr.'s musical output has comprised some 50 studio albums and several career-spanning compilations. But according to Hank, his most recent disc, '127 Rose Avenue,' is also "one of the most special albums I've ever made" -- and one of the easiest to put together.

"A lot of the songs got written when I was out with my two Labradors and a hickory stick at 7:30 in the morning," says the legendary performer. "I don't think I've ever had a whole album where it came together this well and this quickly. It was, 'Here's the melody, here are the words -- bam! There it is.' There's a lot of magic here."

Jack Ingram fans will have to wait just a little bit longer than anticipated for his next project, 'Big Dreams and High Hopes.' The country star's inner-perfectionist decided he needed to go back into the studio to cut some songs with a little more of a rock edge.

"This is the document of where I'm at as a person and as an artist," Jack explains to GAC. "If this is the last record I'm ever going to make -- which, until I make another one, this is the last record I'm going to make, just like they say, live everyday like it's your last. It's the same thing with making records, and so I knew that I wasn't finished. In my heart and in my soul I had to go [back in the studio]. Sorry. I know it's going to cost a little more money and take a little more time, but I got to make it right or else it's not worth it for me."