Lionel Richie and friends on new album

There is little doubt that Lionel Richie was one of the most successful artists of the late-70's and the 80's, but the last couple of decades have been relatively quiet. Richie is looking to kick start a comeback with the release of Tuskegee, a new duets album with some of the biggest stars out of Nashville. It hits stores on March 27 on Mercury Nashville.

Tuskegee includes many of Richie's biggest hits in new duet versions with the likes of Jimmy Buffett, Blake Shelton, Jennifer Nettles, Willie Nelson, Kenny Rogers, Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean and Blake Shelton.

Richie will also tape a CBS TV special on April 2 at the MGM Grand with many of those who sang on the album along with a few other "friends" including the Band Perry, Lady Antebellum and Martina McBride.

Richie told The Boot that he encouraged each of the artists to bring their own version of his songs into the studio. "So, we custom-made [Deep River Woman] to sound just like Little Big Town. It was just Little Big Town with Lionel Richie visiting ... Darius Rucker with Lionel Richie visiting ... With Rascal Flatts, they played the track. It wasn't like, 'Come on in and we'll get some musicians to back you.' No, they played the song."

Track List:

You Are with Blake Shelton
Say You, Say Me with Jason Aldean
Stuck On You with Darius Rucker
Deep River Woman with Little Big Town
My Love with Kenny Chesney
Dancing On The Ceiling with Rascal Flatts
Hello with Jennifer Nettles
Sail On with Tim McGraw
Endless Love with Shania Twain
Just For You with Billy Currington
Lady with Kenny Rogers
Easy with Willie Nelson
All Night Long with Jimmy Buffett

Artist: Lionel Richie
Title: Tuskegee
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Label: Mercury Nashville
Format(s): CD, DD