Alan Jackson's Freight Train album won't be released until March 30th, but fans can purchase a new track every week for the next three weeks at the iTunes Store. The exclusive countdown pre-release begins now with "Hard Hat and a Hammer." The song "Every Now And Then" will be available beginning on March 16th, followed by "Where I Belong" on March 23rd. Each download will count toward the purchase of the full album through iTunes' Complete My Album feature.

Each song will also be available as a free 60-second preview on Billboard.com.

The first single from Freight Train, called "It's Just That Way," is also currently available as a digital single through the iTunes Store.

The new CD includes eight original songs written by Alan, as well as a duet with Lee Ann Womack on the Vern Gosdin classic, "Till the End."

Freight Train is Alan's 18th album.

Darius Rucker will host his first annual "Darius and Friends" concert in Nashville at The Wildhorse Saloon on June 7th. The event will benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Of course, Darius will perform at the show, along with other musical guests who will be announced at a later date. Tickets to Darius and Friends will go on sale Saturday (March 13th) at wildhorsesaloon.com or by calling 615-902-8200.

LeAnn Rimes' first feature film, Good Intentions, is released on DVD this week. Billed as an "off-beat comedy," the movie also stars Luke Perry. LeAnn said, "I've been wanting to act. It's just been finding the right thing. And Good Intentions was the right thing at the right time. It was the right script." Two of LeAnn's songs, "Nothin' Better To Do" and "Family," also appear on the soundtrack.

Newcomer Laura Bell Bundy's major label debut album, Achin' And Shakin', is slated for release on April 13th. The CD will include her debut single, "Giddy On Up."

Josh Kelley has finished work on his new album. In a recent Tweet, he wrote, "Next step is mixing. Then mastering. I'll Start throwing out teasers on the new website soon. Hope all is well." Last fall, he signed a new record deal with Universal Music Group Nashville, so fans can expect a more country-tinged album from Kelley.

Although his new album has a country sound, growing up Kelley was influenced by artists from the 60s and '70s. He tells us that his older brother got him into music: "When I was a little kid my older brother pretty much smushed like Led Zeppelin, and um, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Jethro Tull. That's what I was listening to. I didn't have a chance to listen to like New Kids on the Block and all that 'cause I had an older brother. So, that's what I knew."

Kelley's most recent set, To Remember, came out in 2008.

Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, Vince Gill and George Strait are among the dozen artists on a new inspirational CD which benefits the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. The project, called Sunday in the Country: 12 Inspiring Hits From Today's Top Country Artists, is available online at countrymusichalloffame.org/shop.

Here is the complete track listing:
"Long Black Train" -- Josh Turner
"I Believe" -- Diamond Rio
"But for the Grace of God" -- Keith Urban
"Blessed" -- Martina McBride
"Drugs or Jesus" -- Tim McGraw
"Muddy Water" -- Trace Adkins
"Go Rest High on That Mountain" -- Vince Gill
"Holes in the Floor of Heaven" -- Steve Wariner
"Up to Him" -- Tracy Lawrence
"Angels Among Us" -- Alabama
"Get Up in Jesus' Name" -- Lee Ann Womack
"I Found Jesus on the Jailhouse Floor" -- George Strait

Rascal Flatts' Joe Don Rooney will be expanding his family this fall. Joe Don and his wife, former Playboy Playmate Tiffany Fallon, are expecting their second child in September. They are already parents to 21-month-old son Jagger.

Joe Don told People magazine, "We're a little more prepared but the same excitement is there. There's such fulfillment in being a father and it's going to be two-fold now, which is so cool."

Tiffany surprised Joe Don with the news recently while they were staying at the same Los Angeles hotel where he learned they were expecting Jagger. Joe Don said, "It was late January and we were out by the pool chilling and she said, 'I have something to show you,' and she opened her purse and pulled out the stick with the positive sign. I was like 'Wow! We're going to have to stop coming to this hotel. We'll have 16 of these things before long!' But life just couldn't get better."

The excited couple plan to find out the sex of the baby, mostly so Tiffany can get the nursery in order. Joe Don said, "Tiff's all about decorating rooms, so she's got to know. She's got to prepare the nest."

Rascal Flatts will be on tour when the baby's due date rolls around, but Joe Don will be there no matter what. He said, "I'll rent a jet or something if I have to!"

Rascal Flatts have not yet announced information on their new summer tour.

The trio are celebrating their 10th anniversary as a recording act.

Lady Antebellum will play the first of two sold out shows at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville tonight (Wednesday, March 10th). The trio have been working on playing "Music City" for a while now, and Dave Haywood tells us the venue was worth the wait. "We've been tryin' to plan that for, I think, a year now, tryin' to get a show in Nashville, and to get an opportunity at the Ryman is incredible. I mean, we've got probably the venue with the most history (Charles Kelley) Yeah! (Dave) And also the best sounding place in the world!"

Miranda Lambert is almost ready to release the video for her brand new single, "The House That Built Me." She saw an unfinished version of the clip late last week, and she tells us she was very impressed. "The video, I actually got to see the rough cut, and it is unbelievable. You know, some songs, it's irritating how obvious videos are for certain songs sometimes. You know, when they say 'little girl' and they show a little girl and they say 'bicycle' and they show a bicycle, and it goes with every word of the video, but this was one of those videos that needed to be really obvious. We used (director) Trey Fanjoy. This was my fifth video with her. She found a house that looked a lot like the house I grew up in, and there's no drama in the video. It just is what it is. It represents the song in such a great way, and it's real emotional, definitely. The video is a tear jerker."