THE OAK RIDGE BOYS ON THE ROAD TO CRACKER BARREL? 
IT’S ONLY NATURAL.
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Exclusive CD Features Five New Songs and Seven Rerecorded Hits
Including “Elvira”

LEBANON, Tenn. – (August 3, 2011) – The Oak Ridge Boys, on fire with “Elvira” and a whole lot more, will release their new It’s Only Natural CD through the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® exclusive music program on September 19, 2011.  The CD celebrates the thirtieth year of “Elvira” with a rerecording of that signature hit along with six other hits plus five new songs.  In addition to the CD, the group will celebrate another history-making milestone on August 6 when they’re officially inducted into the Grand Ole Opry®, the revered home of country music.

Today’s Oak Ridge Boys, Richard Sterban, Duane Allen, William Lee Golden and Joe Bonsall have been together since 1973.  The group started as gospel singers, became a top act in country music and then crossed over to pop with “Elvira” in 1981.  The song became the group’s fourth No. 1 country hit, reached No. 5 on the pop charts, won the group a Grammy® award and went on to become one of only a handful of singles ever to go double platinum.  The “Elvira” rerecording on It’s Only Natural is certain to spark some old memories and Oom Poppa Mow Mow its way into some new ones.

“The heart of the CD was inspired by a collection of time-honored songs, but its soul comes from the collaboration we had on this project with talented producers Ron Chancey and Michael Sykes,” said Joe Bonsall.  “Ron originally produced ‘Elvira’ and all of our gold and platinum albums. This is Michael’s ninth project co-producing with Duane.”  The collection of songs includes former Top Ten Billboard hits “Lucky Moon,” “No Matter How High,” “Gonna Take a Lot of River,” “Beyond Those Years” and “True Heart.”  “Louisiana Red Dirt Highway” was a No. 1 CMT video hit for William Lee Golden as a solo project.  One of the new songs, “Sacrifice…for Me,” written by Joe Bonsall, is dedicated to America’s heroes. The CD will be available exclusively at all Cracker Barrel locations.

“The Oak Ridge Boys’ authenticity and ability to connect with multi-generational audiences make them a perfect fit with our guests and our brand,” said Julie Craig, marketing manager for Cracker Barrel.  “We’re delighted to celebrate their 30 year anniversary of ‘Elvira’ and to offer our guests this special CD as part of our exclusive music program.  We’re also thrilled to know that in just a few days, they will become official members of the Grand Ole Opry.  What a wonderful and well-deserved honor!”

It’s Only Natural is the latest in Cracker Barrel’s exclusive music program. On July 25, Cracker Barrel released Jason Michael Carroll’s all-country Numbers with 11 new songs and one previous hit.  On May 16, Cracker Barrel released Teddy Gentry’s Best New Nashville with original music from 12 talented new artists.  On May 2, Cracker Barrel released Randy Travis’ self-titled album Randy Travis.  In March of this year, Cracker Barrel released Kenny Rogers’ The Love of God, which debuted at #8 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and #2 on the Top Christian Albums chart.  In January 2011, Cracker Barrel released The Grascals & Friends - Country Classics With A Bluegrass Spin, which debuted at #1 on Billboard magazine’s Bluegrass Albums chart and at #26 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart.  In November of 2010, Cracker Barrel released Smokey Robinson’s Now & Then, which debuted at #19 on Billboard magazine’s R&B chart and was nominated for an NAACP IMAGE AWARD.  September saw the release of the self-titled Rodney Atkins, which includes four #1 hits, and also the release of Mandy Barnett’s Winter Wonderland, which offers up all the authentic sounds of holiday traditions.  In July, the company released Craig Morgan’s That’s Why-Collector’s Edition, and in May the release of Wynonna’s Love Heals 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.  One of its songs was nominated for a Grammy^® award.  Over the last few years, Cracker Barrel has released exclusive CDs with Alan Jackson, the Zac Brown Band, George Jones, Montgomery Gentry, Dolly Parton, Bill Gaither, Ricky Skaggs, Aaron Tippin, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Josh Turner, Amy Grant, Kenny Rogers, Sara Evans and Charlie Daniels.

Tracks on It’s Only Natural:

1.     What’cha Gonna Do? (Steven J. Williams, Wil Nance & Sherrie Austin)
2.     True Heart (Michael James Bruce Clark & Don Schlitz)
3.     Before I Die (Woody Mullis & Trey Matthews)
4.     Gonna Take a Lot of River (Mark Henley & John Kurhajetz)
5.     No Matter How High (Even Stevens & Joey Scarbury)
6.     The Shade (Shane Decker & Troy Jones)
7.     Elvira (Dallas Frazier)
8.     Louisiana Red Dirt Highway (Vernon Rust)
9.     Beyond Those Years (Troy Harold Seals & Eddie F. Setser)
10.  Wish You Could Have Been There (Steven Dall, Casey Marshall & John Kennedy)
11.  Lucky Moon (Mark Wright & Doug Johnson)
12.  Sacrifice… For Me (Joe Bonsall)
 

For more information: http://oakridgeboys.com/natural