The original cut of "We Weren't Crazy" was recorded and finished two-and-a-half years ago, but Gracin wasn't quite happy with it, so he canned all but four songs and hired a new producer--singer/songwriter Brett James ("Jesus Take the Wheel")--for the remaining seven.

"I'm glad I had the chance to rework the album or else I wouldn't have been happy with the album that was out," Gracin said during an interview with LiveDaily. "I don't think it would have been able to stand on its own."

His instincts paid off. "We Weren't Crazy," which also spawned the single of the same name, debuted at No. 4 on SoundScan's Country Albums chart, selling more than 18,000 records during its first week of release in early April, according to Gracin's publicist. About 26 percent of those full-length albums were sold digitally, with iTunes representing a majority of the sales.

The new set is the follow-up to Gracin'’s 2004 self-titled debut album, which is certified gold by the RIAA and has sold more than 695,000 copies.

"You never know what something's going to do, especially after four years of not having a new one out," said Gracin, a Westland, MI, native. "It's not like I was an established artist after four or five albums out and decided to take a couple years off. I was a little nervous, but it's doing well."

Gracin wrote or co-wrote three out of the 11 songs, on the new set including the title track and the tentative next single "Unbelievable (Ann Marie)."

"It's exciting to have not only written on the album, but two were chosen as singles," Gracin said.

The next step is touring, which he begins on April 25. He said he is looking forward to presenting the new material to fans.

"I think that's the most important thing for any artist: to get out there and perform for the crowd and let them know that you're still going and you've got some new music that they can enjoy listening to," he said.