Top 5 Country Album Releases for Fall 2009

The excitement is building and the countdown has begun. The Top 5 Country album releases for Fall 2009 are here. Read on for my picks for the most anticipated and the Best of the Best in country music.

King George tops my list with an album that I have been waiting for since I became a George Strait fan when I was a kid. TWANG, to be released August 11, 2009, includes one of Strait's fastest rising songs on the charts "Living for the Night" (which was co-written by his son, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon). The popularity of the song has actually pushed up the original release date for the album. That however is not the best part. George Strait has co-written several songs on the album, the first since his debut album, Strait Country, back in the 1984. I have been waiting two decades for Strait to write more songs and I am extremely excited about this album. If you haven't heard "Living for the Night" yet, check it out on his website.

Another country super-star is releasing a new album, that little fire cracker, Reba McEntire. Reba is releasing her first album in 3 years and it is sure to be a runaway hit. This gal does it all! From singing to acting and everything in between this great lady of country is doing it all over again. Reba, like strait has had one of the longest running careers in country music. If George Strait is the King, Reba is surely the Queen of Country Music. Her newest hit, "Strange" is a classic example of why we all love her so much. Her new album Keep On Loving You is due to be released on August 18, 2009. You can check out her website and watch the video for "Strange".

Up and comer, Chris Young is releasing his sophomore album on September 1, 2009. I, like many others, am very eager to hear this album. His first hit "Drinking Me Lonely" tore at my heart strings and made me instantly fall in love with Chris' smooth baritone voice. This Tennessee native is going to be taking Nashville by storm in the near future so be sure to watch his rise to the top. Chris' new album, The Man I Want to Be includes the song "Voices" and his latest hit "Getting' You Home". Also on the album is a duet with Willie Nelson on a classic Waylon Jennings song "Rose in Paradise". This album is a definite must-have!

September 29, 2009, Joe Nichols will be releasing his latest album Old Things New. Nichols has had several great songs in the past few years with his fun sing-along-type songs like "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off" and "Size Matters" to his heartfelt ballads like "I'll Wait for You" and "She Only Smokes When She Drinks". Everything Joe does is gold and he puts all of himself into his music. Is new album will include "My Whiskey Years" another great true-to-life, heart- wrenching ballad and "Coming Back in a Cadillac" to keep you from crying in your beer. I cannot wait to get this album!

Luke Bryan, one of my newest favorites also has a new album coming out October 6, 2009. Entitled Doin' My Thing, Bryan shows us all again what he's made of. Featuring his newest song "Do I", the album has a lot of traditional country sound and even more talent. Luke Bryan's first album, I'll Stay Me, included his up-beat crowd-pleaser "All My Friends Say" and "We Rode in Trucks". His second album is sure to bring many more fans and hopefully more music from this Georgia native.

Also, keep an eye out for Willie Nelson, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Guy Clark and many more this fall.