Charlie Rivers Lots of Country singers are nice fits for modern Radio but would sound completely out of place in Hank Williams' era. Others who were stars in Hank's day sound dated in 2008.

Then there are the precious few Country singers – like Alan Jackson, Hank himself, Brad Paisley, and Patsy Cline – who truly transcend time and place. The Louisiana native Charley Rivers, whose new album is aptly named Man From Another Time, is another of those extremely rare talents.

Perhaps it's because, in the tried-and-true tradition of so many Country legends, Rivers began his singing in church.

"I've never been really scared playing shows. That comes from singing Gospel since I was about 6 years old in church, and playing a guitar when I was old enough," Charley says during a phone interview a few days before the album is released. "I just click with people really good."

Two nights before, he clicked with over 2,000 wildly enthusiastic fans at a show back home in Louisiana. A few years earlier, Charley had won the fiercely competitive Louisiana Colgate Country Showdown. That's not surprising for a guy who's not only a sensational singer, but also a scratch golfer who often shoots in the 60s.

One of the judges of that contest said: "You've got to go to Nashville," so in November of 2001 Charley did. It's a long way from his hometown of Simmesport, in east central Louisiana. Nearby towns have names like Bayou Current, Cottonport, and Big Cane.

The first person Charley met in Music City was Sammy Harp, a top Country songwriter, harmonica player, and producer who just happens to be from Ville Platte, Louisiana. Rivers eventually rented a room from Harp, and soon got to know a real Louisiana legend in Nashville, Joe Stampley.

"Joe Stampley played the first concert I ever saw in my life, when I was 9 or 10 years old," said Rivers, so it was a thrill to meet and work with Joe, the R&B-influenced Country virtuoso vocalist who has racked up over 60 singles on the Billboard Country charts. "Joe was a big favorite around here. Mr. Joe is quite a guy, he's always been good to me."

And so have Joe's amazingly talented kids, including the singer and songwriter Tony Stampley and the promotion and label executive Terri Jo Stampley. Both have played key roles in Charley's career, and in Man From Another Time.

Tony and his co-writer David Gamble penned four songs on the new album, while Terri Jo is already hard at work getting its songs to Radio.

Tommy Barnes, another Music Row icon whose songwriting credits including Tim McGraw's breakthrough "Indian Outlaw," produced the new album, and is one of Charley's biggest fans in the industry. "Charley, you're my favorite Country singer," Barnes told Rivers. "I love your heart and soul. No singer will ever out-feel ya."

High praise indeed, from a Cat Daddy who really knows.

Another man in the Row know, Monty Holmes, is a huge Rivers supporter who has written many George Strait hits. Holmes contributed several songs, including the title track, to Charley's new project.

"I stayed in Nashville for six years. I loved it and I learned, but my life is out here with the fans," Rivers says between concert appearances. "I'm doing my own shows, and the fan base is growing with every album I put out. That's what I love about this. As long as people want to hear my music, I'll keep puttin' it out."

He pauses a moment, then says: "I just want to be Charley Rivers. I'll never be an Alan Jackson."

That statement says a whole lot about why Country fans not only love Charley Rivers' music, but love Charley Rivers. Once folks hear Charley's new album on the Radio or on tour, countless fans will agree with Tommy Barnes: Charley Rivers will be their favorite Country singer too.