Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Kellie Pickler has announced a name and tentative release date for her upcoming third album.

The CD will be called “100 Proof.” It will be available Jan. 24, according to Kellie’s website.

Kellie discussed the album recently with The Boot and said it will include one of her most personal songs yet, “Mother’s Day,” which she co-wrote with hubby Kyle Jacobs.

“I think when people hear that song, that’s going to be when it clicks and people are going to go, ‘Wow, she’s not the little girl on American Idol anymore,’ ” Kellie told The Boot. “‘She’s a woman now.’ It has been a little tricky transitioning into the adult.”

You can read the full interview here. And you can pre-order the album at Amazon.com. The first single, “Tough,” peaked at number 30 on the country singles chart.

After more than a three-year wait, I’m just hoping “100 Proof” is more substantial than Kellie’s self-titled 2008 album, which included just 10 tracks and a meager 33-minute run time.

In other music news …

I get tired of writing this, but Josh Gracin’s “Redemption” album has been delayed again.

The good news: This time the delay is only for a week, from Nov. 1 to Nov. 8. The other good news: If you can trust the iTunes track list, there won’t be anything unsubstantial about Josh’s third album. Try 17 tracks.

You can pre-order the album now.

And, finally …

Melinda Doolittle will release a Christmas single, “God Bless Us Everyone,” on Tuesday. A little early? Well, if a little of this strange weekend snow is still on the ground, it will seem perfectly timed.

On her website, Melinda says the title comes from a line spoken by Tiny Tim in Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” You can hear the song here.

I’m sure it will be just the first of many holiday tunes released by former Idol contestants. But it’s nice to get any new music from one of the best voices from season six. Melinda previously graced us with the fine 2009 album, “Coming Back to You.”