Thomas Rhett brings retro soul to country radio

The initial market testing on a handful of new songs from country singer Thomas Rhett, including his first single, "Crash and Burn," wasn't promising. "So the feedback came back on 'Crash,' I think the feedback said 'poor,'" Rhett said of the funky song with a beat emphasized with whistles and snaps. "So for us to put 'Crash' out with that kind of feedback was kinda scary and risky at the same time." But the song hit No. 1 on Billboard's Country Airplay Chart and No. 2 on Hot Country Songs. Now Rhett is nominated for new artist of the year at the 2015 CMA Awards, to be presented Nov. 4 at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena. The show will air on ABC. With each single he's released since his debut in 2012, Rhett has gotten closer to his niche in country music: a retro, soul-inspired danceable mix of arena-sized tunes and hooky melodies. On his new album, "Tangled Up," the 25-year-old trained his voice so he could hit falsetto notes while still maintaining his Georgia twang. He'll have a chance to see if the new music gets people to their feet as he prepares for a co-headlining tour with Brett Eldredge, which kicks off Oct. 29 in New York City.