By Corianne Egan

cegan@paducahsun.com

Aaron Lewis’ lyrics have always been raw. So it comes as no surprise that his newest single “Country Boy,” which serves as his introduction to the world of country music, has a little bit of an edge to it.

“I am just doing what feels right,” Lewis explained. “I sit down, and I write what comes to me and what works. Most of that always ends up having a dark side to it.”

That is what the audience can expect from Lewis, longtime front man of Staind who has launched himself into country music within the past year. Lewis plays at Harrah’s Friday, a show he describes as a relaxed atmosphere featuring new songs off his country album, “Town Line,” along with older songs he’s written and some of the songs he performed with Staind.

“Life kind of took me here,” Lewis said. “When I was younger, I didn’t really understand country that much. I didn’t want to put my time into it. Now, as an adult, it makes a lot of sense.”

It’s a rarity for country musicians to write all of their hits, but Lewis takes pride in the fact that he has always written and produced his own music. His country songs came to life when he put a new spin on the same songs that were coming to him during sessions.

“There really is a lack of a process in my writing,” he said. “The ideas, the melodies and chords and progressions, they just come to me. And sometimes it’s at the worst moments.”

The past year for Lewis has been somewhat of a whirlwind. He went into the studio in early 2010 to start working on “Town Line,” which was released in February. The album’s first single, “Country Boy,” made it to No. 1 on the CMT.com chart, and earned him two CMT Music Award nominations.

Although Lewis is busy working on his country crossover, he is still working steadily with Staind. The band just finished in the studio recording an album that will be released in the fall. The group also has a song on the “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” soundtrack.

“These songs are the same style,” Lewis said. “The only difference is I took them to Nashville instead of my band. I’ve been putting it all out there my entire career. I am not going to stop now.”

Contact Corianne Egan, a Paducah Sun staff writer, at 270-575-8652.