Lorie Liebig

Yup, he's been hard at work ...

Luke covered a classic at a recent tour stop!

"It's insightful, it's intimate," says McBride, "and I think it's just another way to enjoy your favorite artists."

The singer is due to hand his next album in to his label on Jan. 1 -- but he says he's got a lot of work to do before then.

Eldredge has been busy exploring one particular decade to find new musical inspiration for his next record.