The way Corey Smith sees it, he owes a debt to his fans. And it’s one he is determined to repay with his 10th album, While the Gettin’ Is Good. The project, released on Sugar Hill Records, marks the first time that the singer-songwriter, a wildly popular touring artist who has produced all of his past efforts, has turned over the reins to a bona fide country music producer in Keith Stegall. The result is Smith’s most ambitious record yet, as well as a return on the investment made by the fans who have supported him since his first album in 2003.

A collection of 12 songs, While the Gettin’ Is Good was written entirely by Corey. As such, it’s a deeply personal album, one that explores themes of love, hometown pride and even personal discovery. A close relative inspired one of the record’s highlights, “Bend,” about learning how to adapt to what life throws at you. “I wrote ‘Bend’ about a family member who was struggling with issues and I realized through writing this song that I was also talking about myself at the same time,” says Corey, who scored a Top 20 album with The Broken Record in 2011. “So that song really hits home.”

Nonetheless, Corey has hit on the perfect song for today’s country radio: the approachable ballad “Taking the Edge Off.” It’s a road-weary travelogue, like Bob Seger’s “Turn the Page” or Zac Brown Band’s “Colder Weather,” about the loneliness of touring and how people who travel combat such feelings.

“It captures a certain mood that we go through, especially in the winter. It’s really a grind, it gets cold and lonely, and you’re taking the edge off with a drink,” he admits. “I remember being in Omaha and it was cold as hell. I worked on that tune throughout the day and night there and every time I hear it, I am transported back to that time.”

Now, however, Corey is focused squarely on the future. As the new album title suggests, he’s ready to make a determined grab at country’s brass ring while the gettin’ is good. And with Keith Stegall and Sugar Hill Records behind him, the gettin’ has never been better. As the perseverant Corey is fond of saying, “There is more than one way to skin a cat in country music.”

“I always dreamed of being able to make a record like this. I wanted to explore all the possibilities of a song and work with a producer who was among the best and who could teach me,” he says. “What makes me different is that I write all these songs, and I write them from the heart. I’ve lived them.”

Tickets for the Friday, August 17 Corey Smith show at Avondale Brewing Company are currently on sale at Avondalebrewing.com, in person at Avondale Tap Room and Seasick Records, or by phone at 877-435-9849.

For more information, please visit https://coreysmith.com/​