AceShowbiz -

Lonestar will soon announce its new member. The country band has found a replacement for vocalist Richie Macdonald who plans to pull out after the band's current tour.

Drummer Keech Rainwater revealed that the band has been eyeing this one vocalist. He said, "We found one guy. I can't tell you who it is now but we absolutely love his voice. This is a chance for us to kind of get a new sound and go in a little bit of a different direction."

Rainwater also blew off the rumor that American Idol alumnae Josh Gracin, who has been touring with the band, was made the replacement. He insists on keeping the new name a secret with the promise to announce it this fall, most likely in November.

The concealed singer has been put to test to "see where he can go". With this different sound produced from the new vocalist, the group plans to reach younger listeners by "rock out a little harder."

For the new record, they will employ different method. "We're gonna wait until we have all the songs picked out and a theme put together in our minds," Rainwater said. If everything goes well then an album will be dropped in early 2008.