Country Music Hall of Fame member Charley Pride will release Music in My Heart, his first studio album in more than six years, on July 7.

The project was produced by singer-songwriter Billy Yates, whose songwriting credits include "Choices," a 1999 hit for the late George Jones.

"My goal was to record the best traditional country album possible," Pride said in announcing the project. "But I also wanted someone else to handle all of the producer chores so that I could focus more on my singing.

"Billy Yates and I started working together early last year. His self-produced albums show a strong respect for traditional country, and he's a good songwriter, too. Finding the right songs took a while ... but we did find some wonderful songs, and I'm very happy with how everything sounds."

The album includes songs written by Yates, Bill Anderson, Tommy Collins and others, including a remake of "The Way It Was In '51," written and recorded by Merle Haggard in the late '70s. The project also features "Natural Feeling for You," written by Ben Peters, who also wrote one of Pride's signature hits, "Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'."

Still actively touring, Pride's performance schedule in May includes a six-date Canadian tour. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2000.