For a great gift with no worries ‘if’ it will get there on time, ‘if’ it’s personal enough, or ‘if’ it’s something they can use, choose a Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® digital gift card. With these electronic versions of Cracker Barrel’s traditional plastic gift cards, you can add a personal message and photo, schedule delivery right down to the day and time, and even share it socially on Facebook. And now you can add an image of the Oak Ridge Boys, Wynonna Judd, or Jason Michael Carroll Cracker Barrel CD cover for the music lovers on your list.

“The Oak Ridge Boys are having lots of fun with Cracker Barrel’s digital gift cards,” said Joe Bonsall of The Oak Ridge Boys. “We go to crackerbarrel.com/store/gift-cards/ and order a digital gift card. This is where the fun begins. We then add a personal photo, or select the image of our CD cover, add a message, decide how much we want the card to be worth from $10.00 to $500.00, pick a delivery date, and we’re done. Our friends get the gift of the kind of good country cookin’ that we like to eat when we visit at Cracker Barrel or they can pick out something for themselves from Cracker Barrel’s store. And when they see a picture of our CD on the gift card, it’s a gentle reminder to listen to our music or to buy our CD, It’s Only Natural, which Cracker Barrel recently released through their exclusive music program for one of their friends. I love the way this works!”

Cracker Barrel’s digital gift cards with exclusive music program CD images also include Wynonna Judd and Jason Michael Carroll. Wynonna’s Love Heals CD debuted at #7 on the Billboard Magazine Top Country Albums chart in May 2010. Jason Michael Carroll’s Numbers CD was released in July 2011 with a compilation of songs about everyday life experiences, including “Alyssa Lies,” which reached #5 on the Billboard Country Chart from Carroll’s 2007 album.

Country Girl wants you to be a Tattle Tale! Have you been to a country concert lately? Run into a country artist while out on the town? We want to hear all about your country music news and entertainment. Email me at countrygirl@countrymusictattletale.com

Jason Michael Carroll’s new album “Numbers” is on the Cracker Barrel list along with the other great country artists Cracker Barrel is currently carrying in the music world. This is technically his third album, the first being “Waitin’ in the Country” and the second being “Growing Up Is Getting Old”. He also recorded some long-treasured favorites for Christmas titled “Christmas on the Farm”. The son of a preacher, Jason was raised in a strict family home in Youngsville, North Carolina. His father was a very conservative minister and secular music was not allowed in his home as it was viewed as sinful. Luckily his mother encouraged his singing career and Jason is now deeply embedded in the world of country music.

His first single was “Alyssa Lies” followed by “Livin’ Our Love Song”, “I Can Sleep When I’m Dead” and “Where I’m From.” I was lucky enough to be in the audience at Titan Field in 2009 during CMA Fest and heard Jason on the side stage singing “Where I’m From” and it was evident that he already had a large following and the ladies were indeed happy to see Jason! Who wouldn’t love listening to that lovely southern drawl and watchin’ that wonderful Daddy of four sing? Songwriter, singer and family man – Jason wrapped up in a nutshell!

This new album is genuinely Jason – filled with storied songs of love, fun – there’s even a “Can I Get an Amen” song included which is a song about balance – right and wrong – expecting help from above and doing it yourself. He believes in women’s rights but also loves to see a short, tight skirt and has a few “amen’s” about the government as well. It’s a fun and thought-provoking song that Jason does in his own special way with a great upbeat tempo.

“Numbers” is the new single from the same titled album and is a great play on all numbers in our life – some mean something and some mean absolutely nothing! It’s a cute song doing 72 in a 65 on I-24 in a 4-wheel drive and got a 10:00 o’clock on 18^th Avenue! There’s a 30 percent chance of rain all week —- 18 wheelers – radio station call numbers – it’s just a fun and upbeat song about numbers!! It’s a single that belongs on the charts – great melody and some really good guitar backing him up.

“Numbers” promises to deliver some great new country music to Jason’s loyal fans and listeners via Cracker Barrel and iTunes. The other songs that round out this CD are This is For the Lonely, Ray of Hope, Meet Me in the Barn, Hell or Hallelujah, My Favorite, Don’t Know Why I Don’t, Let Me, Stray, Last Word and Alyssa Lies. You can follow Jason on MySpace, Facebook and Twitter and on his own site at http://www.jasonmichaelcarroll.com

Calamity Annie, CMTT Music Contributor
CalamityAnnie1 on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter

Former Cracker Barrel Old Country Store server Jason Michael Carroll brings his new CD Numbers to the table as the first artist ever signed by the company’s exclusive music program who once worked in one of its restaurants. Carroll, who started singing in public while working as a server at the Cracker Barrel located in Henderson, N.C., has joined the ranks of the stars in the company’s exclusive music program.

The CD Numbers is a compilation of songs about everyday life experiences, including “Alyssa Lies,” which reached #5 on the Billboard Country Chart from Carroll’s 2007 album, and the title song “Numbers,” written by Patrick Davis and Rodney Clawson. “Most numbers mean absolutely nothing,” says Carroll, “but some of them, like the date you meet the person you are going to spend the rest of your life with, mean everything.” Cracker Barrel and Carroll collaborated with the Quarterback Records radio team, GrassRoots and country radio nationwide to debut the song as a single this past April. The Numbers CD debuts today exclusively at all Cracker Barrel Old Country Store locations and online at crackerbarrel.com.

“Jason Michael Carroll’s Cracker Barrel experience has come full circle,” said Julie Craig, Marketing Manager for Cracker Barrel. “Numbers is about the connection between being at certain places at certain times in your life, and our special connection with Jason was born the day he started working in our Henderson store. He’s already made history within the Cracker Barrel family and we hope when people hear this CD, he’ll be on his way to making some music history as well.”

In addition to the 12 songs featured on the CD, fans will have an opportunity to see Jason Michael Carroll perform on the porches of some Cracker Barrel Old Country Store locations this summer. Dates and times will be posted on crackerbarrel.com/music as soon as they are confirmed.

Tracks on Numbers:

1. This Is For The Lonely
2. Numbers
3. Ray Of Hope
4. Meet Me In The Barn
5. Hell Or Hallelujah
6. Can I Get An Amen
7. My Favorite
8. Don’t Know Why
9. Let Me
10. Stray
11. Last Word
12. Alyssa Lies (from the album Waitin’ in the Country, Arista Records, 2007)

Got some country music gossip and don’t wanna be a tattle tale? Email me, Tawny Tucker, Tawny@countrymusictattletale.com

Reflecting 40 years of CMA Music Festival, the lineup for the Daily Concerts on the Chevrolet(tm) Riverfront Stage includes a collection of past, present, and future superstar artists. The 2011 CMA Music Festival will be held Thursday-Sunday, June 9-12, in downtown Nashville. The Daily Concerts on the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage are free and open to the public.

The Daily Concerts will kick-off on Thursday, June 9 at 10:00 AM/CDT with a high energy show from multi-Platinum recording artist Gary Allan. This is Allan’s first performance at CMA Music Festival since 2006.

Darryl Worley will close the Daily Concerts on Friday, June 10; Billy Ray Cyrus will close on Saturday, June 11; and Terri Clark will close on Sunday, June 12. Clark last performed at CMA Music Festival in 2007; Cyrus in 2008; and Worley in 2010.

“Gary Allan will provide a dynamic start to 2011 CMA Music Festival at the Daily Concerts on the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage,” said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “This stage is packed with great hit-makers from the ’70s through today, spotlighting all the decades of CMA Music Festival’s existence. And it’s free! We invite everyone to come and enjoy the great music on the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage.”

The current daily artist lineups are revealed below in alphabetical order:

Thursday, June 9: Gary Allan, Emerson Drive, Colt Ford, Jack Ingram, Sammy Kershaw, Craig Morgan, James Otto, Jake Owen, Randy Rogers Band, and Steel Magnolia.

Friday, June 10: Frankie Ballard, Bucky Covington, Brett Eldredge, Jo Dee Messina, Randy Montana, Heidi Newfield, Sawyer Brown, Phil Vassar, James Wesley, and Darryl Worley.

Saturday, June 11: Crystal Bowersox, Jason Michael Carroll, Billy Ray Cyrus, Steve Holy, Lonestar, David Nail, Corey Smith, Mel Tillis, and Chuck Wicks.

Sunday, June 12: The Bellamy Brothers, Terri Clark, Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, Josh Kelley, LoCash Cowboys, Jerrod Niemann, Troy Olsen, and Sunny Sweeney.

Performance order will be listed on CMAfest.com, the official website of CMA Music Festival, closer to the event. Additional artists will be announced. Artists and dates subject to change.

Admittance to the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage is free, but four-day ticket holders have an exclusive 45-minute, early-entrance window before the gates open to the general public.

Country Girl wants you to be a Tattle Tale! Have you been to a country concert lately? Run into a country artist while out on the town? We want to hear all about your country music news and entertainment. Email me at countrygirl@countrymusictattletale.com

Jason Michael Carroll got his start singing in public while he worked as a server at the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® location in Henderson, N.C. So it’s downright fitting that the company has chosen Numbers, his first studio album since 2009, to be the newest addition to its exclusive music program when the CD is released this summer. Cracker Barrel and Carroll are partnering with the Quarterback Records radio team, GrassRoots, and country radio nationwide to debut the album’s title song “Numbers” as a single today.

“’Numbers’is a song that got my attention the first time I heard it,” said Carroll. “It was written by Patrick Davis and Rodney Clausen and it’s about the way certain numbers, like dates and times, can represent some of life’s most significant moments. Moments like your first date, meeting the love of your life and the day your child is born. Those dates and times have real meaning in our lives. I think everyone can identify with that concept.”

“The date that Jason Michael Carroll started working for Cracker Barrel is one of those significant numbers,” said Chris Ciavarra, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Cracker Barrel. “We had no idea when he became one of our new-hire Rising Stars that his music career was about to make him a star in the music industry, too. Adding his album to our music program is like welcoming family back home.”

The single “Numbers” will be available on iTunes® April 5. The CD Numbers will be available exclusively at all Cracker Barrel locations July 25, with 12 songs on it, including “Numbers”and “Alyssa Lies” from Jason Michael Carroll’s 2007 album Waitin’ in the Country. “Alyssa Lies” topped at #5 on the Billboard Country Chart and was Carroll’s debut single and the runaway hit that put him on the map.

Country Girl wants you to be a Tattle Tale! Have you been to a country concert lately? Run into a country artist while out on the town? We want to hear all about your country music news and entertainment. Email me at countrygirl@countrymusictattletale.com

TheBoot.com knows what your favorite country artists are thanksful for this holiday season.

Taylor Swift -

“I have family that I spend every Thanksgiving with,” the 20-year-old superstar says. “They’re all on my mom’s side, and they’re all women, and they’re really loud. They’re obnoxiously loud, and they all have this genetic cackle. They stand in the kitchen and it’s the loudest sound. It like, breaks noise barriers, and it’s like out of a movie. My cousins have like 49 cats and dogs. It’s really fun to go there and have somewhere I know I’m gonna be every Thanksgiving.”

Alan Jackson -

“It sounds just really simple, but the biggest blessing for me is to be able to have the success and the money because I don’t think I would’ve ever realized that it’s not important had I not had the opportunity to go through all this,” explains the Georgia native. “Because now I could give up all these toys and the house, the big house, and all that kind of stuff and live in a small home and be just as happy or more happy sometimes to have some loved ones, whether they’re your children or just whoever – people who you love that will take care of you and share life with you.”

Blake Shelton -

“It’s the most overlooked. I just like it because it’s in the fall and it’s my favorite weather, and I like to eat a lot,” he says. “Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. I guess it’s because I just love the fall so much.”

Faith Hill -

“I enjoy my children, and I enjoy my life — that’s what I’m most thankful for,” she says. “I’m thankful for a lot of things; it’s almost like a domino effect. One makes the other better. My family, my children, make music better for me, make everything better. But it’s one thing to have a life and it’s another to live it, and that’s something I’ve learned, it’s not something I’ve always known. [laughs]“

Tim McGraw-

“either going to family’s house or having family over at our place,” he explains. “The kids getting to reconnect with aunts and uncles and cousins and friends who sometimes you don’t get to connect with unless it’s that time of the year. And certainly what it means is giving thanks. I think this year it’s gonna be a lot more special for a lot of families because it certainly is a time to sort of reevaluate and really step back and take a look at the things that you do have, and start thinking about the life that some other people don’t have.”

Martina McBride-

“There’s the obvious things, of course, having daughters and a wonderful husband, and that relationship that has grown and matured and deepened and strengthened over the years. I feel blessed to have that.”

Trace Adkins -

“The food,” he acknowledges with a laugh. “Hmmm, the food, family, that’s what it’s all about. Giving thanks for family and food and football – the three F’s you’ve got to have. Well, there’s another one, but we won’t … you know. [laughs]“

Jason Aldean -

“Ghe biggest thing that I’m probably most thankful for, and this isn’t really something I’ve actually talked much about either, but when my second daughter was born or when my wife was pregnant with her, there were a lot of problems. I mean they thought there was stuff wrong with her, possible Down Syndrome [and] things like that and so, it was really a tough period. Then she was born, and now just to kind of see her grow up and be fine. Fortunately, it was nothing.”

Sara Evans -

“I feel like Hannah Montana,” she jokes. “I feel like I have the best of both worlds. [laughs] I can go out on tour and I can be all glammed up and perform on stage and then I can come home and play tennis at the country club and pack lunches for school and do homework after school. So, I am very, very thankful for all the blessings that God has given me. I am thankful for our children and that they’re healthy. My continued prayer every day is that He’ll keep us safe and healthy and keeps us together and help us to just be great people.”

Easton Corbin-

“We used to always go to my grandma’s for Christmas and Thanksgiving,” says Easton. “We’d go for the big meal. I don’t get to go back that much. A lot of times, I’ll stay in [Nashville] for Thanksgiving and then go down for Christmas.” His favorite side dish? “Cornbread dressing.”

You can read more about Josh Turner, Jason Micheal Carroll, and Montgomery Gentry by visiting TheBoot.com here.

Got some country music gossip and don’t wanna be a tattle tale? Email me, Tawny Tucker, Tawny@countrymusictattletale.com

Jason Michael Carroll released his very first Christmas album on November 15th. Produced by co-writer Patrick Davis, JMC offers a variety of standards mixed with uniquely crafted original songs for the holidays. It will be available on iTunes and other online retailers.

“I have always wanted to do a Christmas album and as you can image having four children at home we do spend a lot of time singing around tree. When I heard ‘Christmas on the Farm’ I knew that was the song and one I thought radio would love to play. My kids have always wanted me to do a Christmas album, so with that song as the lead and my children’s favorite ‘Joy to The World’, I knew we had to do it,” says Jason Michael Carroll.

You can catch Jason live at an upcoming show…

TOUR DATES:
December 2 The Tin Roof Columbia, SC
December 3 The Tin Roof Knoxville, TN
December 4 The Tin Roof Lexington, KY
December 8 Fox Theatre Detroit, MI
December 31 Duluth Amphi Duluth, GA

For more info visit www.jasonmichaelcarroll.com

Got some country music gossip and don’t wanna be a tattle tale? Email me, Tawny Tucker, Tawny@countrymusictattletale.com