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A local musician is about to drop his first-ever solo album.

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Aaron Ray Vaughn of Bartlesville will be releasing his new album, titled "Sparks," on Friday, Dec. 3. Vaughn says he is excited for this adventure he is taking through the world of country music. He says his new album has been about a year in the making.

"Sparks" was recorded in a local studio. Vaughn says he recorded the album with a good friend named Aaron Wheeler, a talented musician and producer engineer. He says most of the music you will hear on the album is a lot of Wheeler's composition. The main melody and the lyrics were created by Vaughn, who took his ideas for the songs to Wheeler as they started to build together.

There are nine tracks on the album. Vaughn says they are all originals except for one. He says he is doing a cover of a Gospel song his grandfather taught him when he was 12 called, "What A Day That Will Be."

The first track on the album, "Oil Land," is Vaughn's favorite. Vaughn says the single has to do with who we are as Oklahomans in this region. He says the song describes how oil encapsulates our environment. 

Vaughn says he sat down and had a 45 minute writing session for "Oil Land." He says he started with a premise, a melody, and an appreciation for who we are as a people and a community in Oklahoma. The idea came to Vaughn because of all the family and friends he has that are so invested in the oil industry to provide energy. He says he wanted a song that would resonate with people in these parts.

Other favorites include "Prairie Kings" and "Heavenly." Vaughn says he wrote "Heavenly" for his wife. He says "Prairie Kings" is a nostalgic song that reminds us of what life was like in the prairie when we were young and the memories that we make as we grow.

For 10 years, Vaughn played with New Kings, a Christian rock band. Vaughn recalls traveling all over the country and the world to perform. He says he loved the experience, however, he is ready to get into the red dirt, country music genre.

An album release party will be held at Crossing 2nd, 215 E. Second Street in Bartlesville, on Friday. Dec. 3, from 6:00 to close. Vaughn invites the public to attend the occasion. He says they will have a good time until everyone is ready to go home.

"Sparks" is available for pre-order in the iTunes Store, the Apple Store, the Amazon Store, and Spotify. Vaughn says the album will be available on all platforms on Friday.

To listen to our entire interview with Aaron Ray Vaughn about his new album, click here.