‘I’m Tim McGraw and I don’t approve their message.’

Can we expect country superstar Tim McGraw’s update on Brenda Lee’s biggest hit sometime soon? McGraw sounds like he’s ready for a chorus of “I’m Sorry” in the statement he issued today apologizing for the new collection of his hits that his record label is issuing for the holidays.

“I am saddened and disappointed that my label chose to put out another hits album instead of new music,” McGraw said in the statement. “I’ve only had one studio album since my last hits package. It has to be just as confusing to the fans as it is to me. I had no involvement in the creation or presentation of this record.”

He’s referring to the “Greatest Hits 3” collection that Curb Records released last week. His previous hits compilation, “Greatest Hits, Vol. 2” came out in March 2006. Record companies commonly put such collections out during the final quarter because they’re popular as holiday gift items. Case in point: Preliminary sales reports indicate this one may be headed for a debut in the Top 5 of the pop album chart.

Since the second hits CD, he released “Let It Go” last year, which included the hit singles “Last Dollar (Fly Away),” his duet with wife Faith Hill “I Need You,” and his “If You’re Reading This.” “I Need You,” however, does not appear on “Greatest Hits 3,” presumably because it would have needed the OK from Hill’s label, Warner Bros.

McGraw says he’s been at work on a new studio album that he wanted Curb to release this season rather than a third hits set.

“Sure I love the songs, and I don’t want to take anything away from all the creative people who were a part of making those records,” McGraw said. “But the whole concept is an embarrassment to me as an artist. In the spirit of an election year, I would simply say to my fans ‘I’m Tim McGraw and I don’t approve their message.’ ”