Alan Jackson photo courtesy of SonyBMG Nashville.

The music business is rife with executives lamenting the downturn in album sales, but that doesn’t stop artists from turning out new CDs, and a bevy of projects are on the way in the coming months from Alan Jackson, Johnny Cash, Josh Turnerand Danny Gokey — all hoping to spur the rest of us to visit a store or a website and plunk down a few bucks for new music.

Even if the industry isn’t moving as much product as it used to, you can’t blame artists for continuing to put out new albums. The fact is if they only had one song to sing, they’d all be bored. Put out 10 or 12 or 20 — well, it certainly allows for a lot more opportunities to heat up the creative juices. And that’s what it’s all supposed to be about in the first place.

Anyway, here’s a look at some of the projects you might want to earmark:
• Alan Jackson, Freight Train, March 30: The first single, “It’s Just That Way,” is one of three tracks featuring background vocals by bluegrass angel Rhonda Vincent. The disc also boasts a duet with Lee Ann Womack on “Till The End,” a remake of a 1977 single by Vern Gosdin, who died last April.

• Lady Antebellum, Need You Now, Jan. 26: It arrives just five days before the band performs on the Grammy Awards. We’ve heard an advance copy of it, and it’s even better than the platinum debut album.

• Josh Turner, Haywire, Feb. 9: Originally slated for November release, it was moved back — presumably to hit the marketplace right around the time he peaks with “Why Don’t We Just Dance.”

• Gretchen Wilson, Greatest Hits, Jan. 19: This set collects all her biggies, now that she’s departed from Sony BMG. Her first album on her own Redneck Records, I Got Your Country Right Here, will come later this year.

• Johnny Cash, American VI: Ain’t No Grave, Feb. 26: This is the final collection of stripped-down material recorded by the Man in Black with producer Rick Rubin. Set to be released on Johnny’s birthday, it includes songs written by Kris Kristofferson, Sheryl Crow and the Sons Of The Pioneers’ Bob Nolan.

• Sarah Buxton, Sarah Buxton, Feb. 23: She wrote Keith Urban’s “Stupid Boy” and has the bubbly “Outside My Window” bouncing in country music’s Top 25. Her debut album is… finally… on… the… way.

• Josh Thompson, Way Out Here, Feb. 23: His debut single, “Beer On The Table,” just cracked the Country Aircheck Top 20 this week.

• Easton Corbin, Easton Corbin, March 2: He cites Merle Haggard and Keith Whitley among his influences and tabbed Keith’s former road manager and steel guitarist, Carson Chamberlain, to produce his self-titled debut.

• Chely Wright, Lifted Off The Ground, May 4: The album is produced by Rodney Crowell and its release coincides, according to The Boot, with the publication of her autobiography, Like Me.

• Shelby Lynne, Tears, Lies, And Alibis, April 20: She started her career more than 20 years ago in country, but has been all over the map stylistically. Don’t know yet what this one will sound like, though we do know she employed some of the Swampers — former session players from Muscle Shoals — to make the first album on her own label, Everso.

• Josh Abbott Band, She’s Like Texas, Feb. 16: Well known in the Lonestar State, not so much elsewhere. That could change with this disc, loaded with great hooks and good energy.

• Various Artists, NOW That’s What I Call Love, Jan. 26: The latest in the NOWpop series of compilations, it’s mostly inhabited by such non-country acts as Hoobastank, Colbie Caillat and David Cook. But it does have a trio of country titles at its finale: Lonestar’s “Amazed,” Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” and Keith Urban’s “Kiss A Girl.”

• Danny Gokey, My Best Days, March 2: He built a huge amount of recognition a year ago with big pipes on “American Idol.” And made his Grand Ole Opry debut last Friday.

• Various Artists, By The People: For The People, Jan. 12: Inspired by an HBO documentary on the election of Barack Obama, this CD is already for sale on iTunes with proceeds slated to aid parts of the Gulf Coast still devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Tim McGraw and the Dixie Chicksrepresent country among such acts as Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, John Mayer and John Legend.

• Gary Allan, Get Off On The Pain, March 9: Gary wrote half the songs on this 10-track set, tipped by the lead single, “Today.”

• Dailey & Vincent, Dailey & Vincent Sing The Statler Brothers, Feb. 1: The bluegrass duo has been covering the Statlers reverently since day one, and this Cracker Barrel exclusive mines plenty of iconic titles, including “Flowers On The Wall,” “I’ll Go To My Grave Loving You” and “Hello Mary Lou,” which was actually the Statlers covering Ricky Nelson.

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