NASHVILLE — At 4 foot 7, and barely 12 years old, Billy Gilman wouldn't seem to be an overpowering presence.

But the little guy with the braces on his teeth is the hottest new act in Nashville this summer. And he's not at all shy about introducing himself to you with enthusiasm and a firm handshake.

His One Voice debut album is at #2 on the Billboard Top Country albums chart this week, trailing only the Dixie Chicks' 6 million selling Fly. Gilman's single "One Voice" (RealAudio excerpt) was at #1 on the Top Country Singles sales chart for the past five weeks.

He is the youngest artist ever to have a song on Billboard's Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. Brenda Lee, then dubbed "Little Miss Dynamite," was 12 years and 4 months old when "One Step at a Time" debuted in 1957. Gilman's "One Voice" first hit the charts shortly before his 12th birthday, May 24.

Gilman, a schoolboy from Hope Valley, R.I., began singing at age 3 and was never shy about letting his classmates know it.

"At school for show 'n' tell, the other kids would bring in comic-book stuff or science projects," Gilman said. "I'd always sing. I can't remember when I didn't want to sing. This is what I've always dreamed of."

He said he loved singing in the living room of his grandmother's house, where he was exposed early on to country artists of earlier generations including Tammy Wynette, George Jones, Eddy Arnold and his major influence, Pam Tillis.

Soon Gilman made a name for himself regionally by opening for such artists as fellow New Englander Jo Dee Messina at county fairs in Connecticut and Rhode Island.

"Onstage I can just go crazy," Gilman said of the energetic presence he soon developed. "All I really want is to sing and make the audience happy."

But it's a long way from the county-fair circuit to Music Row. Ray Benson, the patriarch of the Texas swing band Asleep at the Wheel, made the introductions after being sent a tape of Gilman.

Benson cut a demo of Gilman in Austin, Texas, which led to a deal with Epic Nashville. Gilman's debut album was co-produced by three Row heavyweights: Blake Chancey (Dixie Chicks), David Malloy (Reba McEntire), and Don Cook (Brooks & Dunn). He was booked onto the Academy of Country Music awards show in May and was the smash hit of the evening. Then, Asleep at the Wheel took him along as part of their set on the George Strait stadium tour.

In July, his album sold 30,000 copies in its first week of release to enter Billboard's Top Country albums chart at #4 and at #52 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

Even losing a tooth in late June at a golf clinic hasn't slowed Gilman. The tooth was replaced, and he was soon back onstage and on television. Last Wednesday he performed live on NBC-TV's "Today" show as part of a busy summer touring and appearance slate.

And he's very matter-of-fact about it all.

"When everyone says 'You can't,' tell them 'Yes, you can,' " Gilman said.