The newest CD in Cracker Barrel Old Country Store’s exclusive music collection goes on sale today and that’s one reason why you might want to consider stopping in at one of the popular restaurant and retail concept’s 594 locations. The CD, That’s Why – Collector’s Edition features 13 songs, including the top radio hits “Bonfire” and “This Ain’t Nothin,” as well as two previously unreleased songs.

Craig Morgan is one of country music’s best-loved artists who made a name for himself with his signature hits “Almost Home,” which was named Music Row Song of the Year in 2003, and the chart-topping summer anthem "Redneck Yacht Club," and the #1 hit for 5 weeks "That's What I Love About Sunday."

Morgan says he is pleased to have his newest CD available exclusively at Cracker Barrel, where he stops in for chicken n’ dumplins (with extra dumplins!) frequently. “Cracker Barrel offers the closest thing to home cooking when I am on the road touring. Music is what I do, but country living is who I am, so it’s really nice to have them both come together with my CD at Cracker Barrel,” said Morgan. In commenting on the décor that Cracker Barrel is known for, Morgan added, “A visit to Cracker Barrel lets you get a look at Country America all under one roof.”

“That’s Why – Collector’s Edition is a remarkable CD and Cracker Barrel is glad to be featuring it as our newest music project,” says Peter Keiser, Vice President of Marketing. “Craig is a terrific performer.  His ten years in the United States Army and his determination to return to the Nashville area, where he grew up, to develop his music career are admirable.”

Two of the 13 songs on That’s Why – Collector’s Edition have never been released until now: “You” and “Evel Knievel” Morgan says that “You” is about his wife and “Evel Knievel” is about himself, about living life on the edge a little bit. An additional song on this special collector’s edition is “Summer Sundown,” which Morgan says is a real-life song about the happiness to be found in our own backyards.

To celebrate the release of this exclusive CD, Cracker Barrel is holding a contest with a number of prizes, including a grand prize that features a four-day trip to Washington D.C., lunch with Craig Morgan on September 25th at an area Cracker Barrel, and tickets to his performance at the 2010 Great Frederick Fair that night. Complete contest details are available at crackerbarrelmusic.com.

Cracker Barrel’s exclusive music program features numerous projects. In May of this year, Cracker Barrel released Wynonna’s Love Heals, which debuted at #7 on the Billboard Magazine Top Country Albums chart. February’s release of Dailey & Vincent Sing the Statler Brothers debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Bluegrass Albums chart, where it spent nine weeks in the top position and 18 weeks overall in one of the three top positions since its release on February 1st.  Releases in 2009 included November’s Songs of Love and Heartache by Alan Jackson, September’s release of an exclusive new version of The Foundation by the Zac Brown Band, August’s George Jones’ release of A Collection Of My Best Recollection, May’s release of Montgomery Gentry’s For Our Heroes, which debuted at #5 on Billboard Magazine’s Top Country Albums chart, and March’s release of Dolly Parton’s Collector’s Edition of Backwoods Barbie, which debuted at #9 on that chart. Over the last few years, Cracker Barrel has released exclusive CDs with Bill Gaither, Kenny Rogers, Ricky Skaggs, Aaron Tippin, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Josh Turner, Amy Grant, Sara Evans and Charlie Daniels.