Lonestar works to please old, new fans

When country sensation Lonestar's eighth album comes out next month, band members say they hope to woo back some of the fans they lost when their music became more mainstream.

Lonestar -- a band with Texas honkytonk, sawdust roots -- developed a stronger pop-music sound after its biggest hit ever, "Amazed," a 1999 crossover song that earned the band thousands of new fans. Yet lead singer Richie McDonald says the new album -- "Coming Home," due on Sept. 13 -- offers song that will please both new and old fans.

"The great thing about the new CD is that there are some more traditional elements for this record, but it's still mainstream," says McDonald, whose band will headline the annual Dollar Bank Jamboree in Point State Park on Saturday.

"I personally think ... we've come full circle," McDonald says in his Texas drawl.

With the release of the triple-platinum "Lonely Grill" album -- which contains "Amazed" -- six years ago, Lonestar shifted gears and developed more of an edgy sound in the band's music, which carried over into the next two albums.

"We may have lost some fans along the way," says McDonald, who wrote five of the 12 songs on the new album. "I think with this new record, we can get them back.

"I'm not saying it's a totally traditional record," he says. "But the traditional country listeners ... I think they'll find there's something on it they will enjoy."

Another musical trend with Lonestar -- the strong presence of ballads -- continues into "Coming Home," which includes the current single "You're Like Comin' Home." Many of Lonestar's biggest hits have been tender, slow songs, such as "Amazed," "I'm Already There" and "Let Them Be Little." One of the band's biggest hits, "I'm Already There," was a touching ballad written by McDonald after calling his wife, Lorie, at home when he was on tour. His then-2-year-old son, Rhett, got on the phone and said, "Daddy, when are you coming home?"

"It just broke my heart," says McDonald, who immediately started writing the song. "I hung up, and thought, 'Physically, I'm not there, but mentally I'm already there.'

"It just shows how powerful music can be," he says. "That's the great thing about music ... if our music touches somebody, then I've done my job. That's what music is all about."

Yet McDonald says he doesn't want the band to be stereotyped and pigeonholed as a sentimental ballad band: Many of their songs, including the recent hit "Class Reunion (That Used To Be Us)," have a fun, lively tempo.

"I think we've had our biggest success with ballads, and that's something we shouldn't forget," says McDonald, who tells fans that "if you listen to a Lonestar album, there's going to be a little bit on there for everybody."

When the band first started in the early '90s, members dreamed of sensational success, like most groups do, McDonald says. It is always a gamble, but in Lonestar's case, the results fulfilled the best-case scenario.

"We've been really lucky; we've been blessed over the years; we've hung in there," he says.

If the good fortune continues, Lonestar might put out its second greatest hits album, if the band releases another successful record after "Coming Home."

"You know what• We could, couldn't we?" McDonald says happily. "That would be wonderful."

Additional Information:

Dollar Bank Jamboree, starring Lonestar

When: All activities begin at 8 a.m. Saturday and end with fireworks at 10 p.m.

Admission: Free; refreshments and entry into Three Rivers Fishing Classic cost extra.

Where: Point State Park, 101 Commonwealth Drive, Downtown.

Details: 800-345-3655 or www.dollarbankjamboree.com .

Schedule:

8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Three Rivers Fishing Classic which benefits the Boys and Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania. Entry fees vary. Details: www.bcgwpa.org .

3 to 7 p.m.: Children's activities including face painting, storytelling and games.

4 to 8 p.m.: Performances by PovertyNeck Hillbillies, Corbin/Hanner, Julie Roberts and Dierks Bentley.

8:30 p.m.: Lonestar performance.