Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Josh Gracin, the fourth-place finisher on season two of Idol, recently released a new single to iTunes called “Long Way to Go.”

This is  a bit of departure for Josh, who scored a series of country hits when he was fresh off Idol. This single is being pushed to adult contemporary radio stations.

“We wanted to get out there and reach the people who supported me on American Idol and voted for me on the show, but don’t listen to country music,” Josh said in a recent interview with Lite98 in Richmond, Va.

Not that he’s abandoning his country roots. A country single will be picked over the next month or so, he said, and the big news …

His long-awaited third album, “Redemption,” is set for release on Sept. 6.

Josh said the album was pretty much complete last year, prior to his show at the 2010 York Fair. I interviewed him at the time and asked why he’d chosen “Redemption” as the title of the new album. Here’s what he had to say.

“Well, I figured that it was important for me, with this album, to kind of separate myself from everybody thinking I was just some kid off a talent show and (the idea that) all I’m doing is singing other people’s music.

“Nashville seems to be really pushing … well in one breath they seem to be pushing that they want songwriter artists and in another breath they’re continuing to put on a pedestal ones that don’t do that.

“But I figured the only way I could kind of shed any naysayers is to come out with an album that 100 percent involved me as far as writing it and producing it. So that’s how the album title came about because it really is about “Redemption” in all aspects. Redemption from the music I was doing. Redemption as far as how people view me because I came from a talent show. I felt it was a good title to kind of put out there what I felt when I made the album.”

For that full interview, go here.

And for the full interview with 98Lite and a listen to the acoustic version of “Long Way to Go,” watch the video below.

Oh, and one last note, Josh will return to the area on Aug. 5, performing at the Gone Country Frederick County Music Festival at the Frederick Fairgrounds.  Among the other celebrities appearing will be Larry the Cable Guy.  Go here for more information on that.