NASHVILLE, TN – July 20, 2009 – When accepting his 2008 Academy of Country Music Award for “Top New Male Vocalist,” singer/songwriter Jack Ingram dedicated the honor to “anyone who who has ever dared to dream big dreams and have high hopes.” After years grinding his way onto an elite list of country music’s most hardworking and respected touring acts, Ingram will release his second Big Machine studio project BIG DREAMS & HIGH HOPES on Tues., Aug. 25 . Eleven tracks that further his “keep on, keepin’ on” message that hard work and determination pave the only path he knows.
“I’m proud of this album like crazy,” says Ingram. “We started to put it out a few times earlier this year, but then I’d hold everything up and go back to the studio and tweak this or mess with that, but now I’m finally ready. There are a few rowdy barroom sing-a-longs on there and also a few songs that are meant to be listened to when you’re all alone…lots of long days and fun nights were spent making this one.”
Off like a rocket, the lead single “Barefoot and Crazy” is rocking its way towards Billboard’s Top 10, jumping four places to No. 13 this week with USA TODAY proclaiming it “…one of country music’s hottest summertime singles.”
Ingram’s robust list of top-notch co-writers, producers and collaborators for the new project includes Americana heroine Patty Griffin on the Ingram-penned “Seeing Stars,” and mainstream country music chart-topper Dierks Bentley on the honky tonk party anthem “Barbie Doll” with Little Big Town, Randy Houser, James Otto and The Lost Trailers (also known as The Little Big Lost Beat-Up Ford Funky Times Freedom Choir) contributing gang vocals. Jay Joyce, Jeremy Stover, Doug Lancio and Radney Foster all get production credits, and Ingram’s stellar cast of co-writers includes Jeffrey Steele, Darrell Brown, Dallas Davidson, Gary Burr and Tom Shapiro.
BIG DREAMS & HIGH HOPES Track List:
1. Free (Jay Knowles, Trent Summar)
2. Barefoot And Crazy (Ben Hayslip, Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson)
3. That’s A Man (Ed Hill, Steven Dale Jones, Mark D. Sanders)
4. Seeing Stars, Featuring Patty Griffin (Jack Ingram, Chris Tompkins)
5. Not Giving Up On Me (Jack Ingram, Jeffrey Steele, Tom Hambridge)
6. Barbie Doll, Featuring Dierks Bentley (Jack Ingram, Todd Snider)
7. Big Dreams & High Hopes (Gary Burr, Jack Ingram)
8. Heartache (Jack Ingram, Radney Foster, Darrell Brown)
9. Man In Your Life (Jack Ingram, Radney Foster)
10. King Of Wasted Time (Tom Shapiro, Tony Martin, Jim Collins)
11. In The Corner (Jack Ingram)
Recently dubbed “The Marathon Man” in PEOPLE’s “Hottest Guys In Country Music” issue, Ingram will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for “Most Consecutive Radio Interviews In A 24 Hour Period,” beginning in the early hours of Aug. 25, a record currently held by Pete Wentz’ Fall Out Boy. Until then, Ingram is burning up the highway with a schedule packed full of concert dates through the end of the year.
