Country artist George Strait [ tickets ], who has logged 26 million-selling albums over the course of his 20-plus-year recording career, releases a new studio album titled "Honktonkville" on June 24.

Strait and his longtime collaborator Tony Brown co-produced the disc. Among the writers whose songs were selected for the album are Bruce Robison and Monte Warden ("Desperately"), Anthony Smith and Bob DiPiero ("Cowboys Like Us"), Jim Lauderdale and John Scott Sherrill ("She Used To Say That To Me") and Buddy Brock, Dean Dillon and Kim Williams (the title track).

Dillon also collaborated on two other tracks: "Four Down and Twelve Across," by Dillon and Tom Douglas, and "Honk If You Honky Tonk" by Dillon, Ken Mellons, and John Northrup.

According to Strait's publicist, the Texas native has achieved an unprecedented 50 No. 1 country singles, and is second only to Elvis Presley for No. 1 records by a male artist in any genre. He has sold more than 56 million albums to date.

"I've had so many great things happen to me professionally that the saying, 'Time flies when you're having fun,' really rings true for me," Strait said in a statement. "The same holds true for No. 1 records. I really wasn't keeping count until someone told me I was close to breaking the record."

In May, Strait will be honored with a Special Achievement Award at the 38th annual Academy of Country Music Awards. George Burns (1980), Jeff Foxworthy (1995) and Garth Brooks (1997) are the only others to receive the award. Strait is also nominated in the ACM's Top Male Vocalist category.

Strait--who has long been one of country music's best live draws--released his first concert album in February. The 16-song CD, titled "For the Last Time--Live from the Astrodome," was recorded on the closing night of the 2002 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Strait performed for more than 68,000 fans that night, including President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush.

Earlier this year, Strait played a month of arena dates earlier this year, but hasn't announced additional tour plans.