James Otto already had a Top 5 hit when his new album, "Sunset Man," was released last week. But he admitted that he was nervous about the CD, and with good reason: He'd had a previous album that tanked, making him skeptical about what might become of the new one.

"When my last record dropped, I got the feeling it was dropping into a hole," James told The Tennessean. I think we sold 10,000 copies of [it], and we already have pre-orders that show this one is going to be all right. I can exhale now. It's been five years of working on this record and praying it's going to work, and getting to the end process and being proud of the product we made."

James was part of the same MuzikMafia crew that launched Big & Rich and Gretchen Wilson to success, though watching his first album fizzle forced James to do some soul-searching even while his buddies were touring the country.

"My first record meant a lot to me," he said. "It was one of those things you put your hopes and dreams into, and then you see it taken lightly, and I was heartbroken over it. It took a couple of years to put the pieces back together."

First-week sales numbers for the album aren't in yet, but the single has obviously given James much cause for celebration. "Just Got Started Lovin' You" is No. 3 on the current Country Aircheck list, and the video is at No. 16 on GAC's Top 20 Country Countdown.