CRACKER BARREL OLD COUNTRY STORE® TO SPONSOR ALISON KRAUSS AND UNION STATION 2005 TOUR
LEBANON, Tenn. (Dec. 10, 2004) – Cracker Barrel Old Country Store is going “on tour” with Grammy® Award-winning artists Alison Krauss and Union Station as Presenting Sponsor of the group’s 2005 “Lonely Runs Both Ways” tour, which kicks off January 12th in Chattanooga, Tenn. Some of the cities included on the East Coast leg of the tour include Baltimore, Md.; Birmingham, Ala.; Columbia, S.C.; Greensboro, N.C.; Knoxville, Tenn. and Tallahassee, Fla., with more cities to be announced in the coming weeks.
Alison
Krauss and Union Station
As part of the sponsorship, Alison Krauss and Union Station will perform four times at the Grand Ole Opry® in Nashville. Cracker Barrel also is the Presenting Sponsor of the Grand Ole Opry under a multi-year agreement. Additional elements of the Alison Krauss and Union Station partnership include wrapping the tour bus, consumer Web site and Internet promotions, in-venue signage and on-site marketing opportunities at all venues hosting performances.
“Alison Krauss and Union Station’s music provides a strong connection between country music’s past and present,” said Chris Tomasso, Cracker Barrel’s vice president of marketing. “Like Cracker Barrel, the group’s style is a relevant and appealing blend of heritage and authenticity not commonly seen or heard. We believe this partnership with Alison Krauss and Union Station will provide a number of opportunities for our guests to appreciate this wonderful American music in the months to come.”
“Alison Krauss and Union Station is proud to welcome Cracker Barrel Old Country Store as the sponsor of our 2005 Lonely Runs Both Ways Tour”, says bassist Barry Bales on behalf of the band. “We see this as a great fit—we always get excited when we’re out on the road and we see the Cracker Barrel signs on the interstate, and then get to eat some great home-style cooking.”
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 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 & Andy™ and Slinky®.
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. operates 514 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.
Media Contacts:
Jim Taylor, Sr. Specialist, Corporate Communications
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.
(615) 444-5533 x. 4082
jtaylor@crackerbarrel.com
Holly Chambers
Manning Selvage & Lee
404-870-6831
holly.chambers@mslpr.com
Anne Reeves
Manning Selvage & Lee
404-877-5533
anne.reeves@mslpr.com
Stephen M. Brown
Director of Media and Creative Strategy
Manning Selvage & Lee
1170 Peachtree Street, Suite 400
Atlanta, Georgia 30309-7677
404 870-6857 (Direct)
404 277-3467 (Mobile)
404 870-6869 (Fax)
stephen.brown@mslpr.com