Special Alison Krauss and Union Station CD Available Exclusively at Cr

Special Alison Krauss and Union Station CD Available Exclusively at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Locations

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    LEBANON, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 11, 2005--Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. and Grammy(R) Award-winners Alison Krauss and Union Station today announced plans for an exclusive CD to be carried in Cracker Barrel's retail stores beginning May 10. The CD, titled Home on the Highways, is a collection of band-picked favorites from previously released material and is the newest element stemming from the restaurant's presenting sponsorship of the group's 2005 "Lonely Runs Both Ways" tour.
    Band members say Cracker Barrel is a natural fit both personally and professionally. "Cracker Barrel has been a little piece of home ever since we've been travelling on the road," says Alison Krauss, who has earned 17 Grammy Awards and multiple honors from the Country Music Association and International Bluegrass Music Association.
    Banjo player and songwriter Ron Block says he appreciates Cracker Barrel's respect for authentic music. "Respect for tradition gives us strong roots, while the continual search for new songs and sounds causes us to walk a wide musical path," says Block. "This special Cracker Barrel compilation contains a cross-section of our material from the past few years. It represents everything from the straight-ahead bluegrass of Rain Please Go Away, Momma Cried, and I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow to the contemporary acoustic music of Crazy As Me, Ghost In This House, and Let Me Touch You For Awhile."
    Home on the Highways retails for $11.99 and will also be available online at www.crackerbarrel.com. This release joins an extensive music offering available at all 519 Cracker Barrel locations, including more than 40 titles in the Heritage Music and American Music Legends collections. An exclusive Grand Ole Opry Live Classics collection will arrive in stores later this month.
    "Music is an essential part of the guest experience at Cracker Barrel and an important part of who we are as a company," said Chris Tomasso, vice president of marketing for Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. "Along with the Grand Ole Opry Live Classics and American Music Legends series, this Alison Krauss and Union Station release strengthens our position of offering important music to our guests."
    In addition to the 11 songs featured on the CD, fans will see more than eight minutes of behind-the-scenes bonus video footage. The video features an impromptu jam session and the band members sharing childhood memories as they tour Cracker Barrel's extensive collection of authentic artifacts located in the company's decor warehouse.
    To promote the new CD, Cracker Barrel will partner with radio stations across the country to provide complimentary trips to Nashville for the band's Home on the Highways CD launch party backstage at the Grand Ole Opry on May 7th, 2005. The Nashville trip features VIP passes to the CD launch party where winners will meet Alison Krauss and Union Station. The package also includes tickets to the band's live performance on the Grand Ole Opry that night.

    About Cracker Barrel

    Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of the publicly held CBRL Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: CBRL). Cracker Barrel was established in 1969 in Lebanon, Tenn.
    Each Cracker Barrel Old Country Store(R) unit is modeled after a 1900-era country store, featuring old photographs, authentic antiques, memorabilia and a real wood burning fireplace with a stone hearth to add a warm cozy touch to the dining room. The restaurant serves up classic comfort foods such as meatloaf and homemade chicken n' dumplins as well as made-from-scratch biscuits using an old family recipe. The retail store has more than 2,700 gift items including accessories for the home, old-fashioned candies, books on audio, nostalgic items, and children's games and puzzles, including classic favorites such as Raggedy Ann(R) & Raggedy Andy (R) and Slinky(R).
    Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. operates 519 company-owned locations in 41 states. Every Cracker Barrel unit is open seven days a week with hours Sunday through Thursday, 6 a.m. - 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 6 a.m. - 11 p.m. For more information, visit www.crackerbarrel.com.

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CONTACT: Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. Media Contacts Jim Taylor, 615/444-5533 ext. 4082 jtaylor@crackerbarrel.com or Manning Selvage & Lee Holly Chambers, 404/877-5533 holly.chambers@mslpr.com or Anne Reeves, 404/870-6831 anne.reeves@mslpr.com

KEYWORD: TENNESSEE INDUSTRY KEYWORD: ADVERTISING/MARKETING ENTERTAINMENT RETAIL RESTAURANTS PRODUCT PHOTO PHOTOWIRE SOURCE: Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. PHOTO: 43198

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