Craig Morgan Recruits Blake Shelton, Jelly Roll And More For ‘Enlisted’ EP
Craig Morgan will release a brand new EP this Friday (October 20) and the country singer is bringing some friends along for the ride. The six-track project, Enlisted, features Trace Adkins, Luke Combs, Gary LeVox, Jelly Roll, Blake Shelton, and Lainey Wilson.
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Enlisted consists of new versions of Morgan’s biggest hits as well as two brand-new songs, “Raise The Bar” recorded with Combs, and “That Ain’t Gonna Be Me” with Trace Adkins.
“Making this record has been so much fun because I got to get in the studio with some of my friends and also re-create some of my catalog in a way that feels like brand-new music,” shares Morgan.
As for the track “Almost Home,” featuring Jelly Roll, it is one of four reimagined songs on the EP. The song was originally released in 2002 and was included on Morgan’s sophomore album, I Love It.
Last year, Morgan invited Jelly Roll to perform the song that changed his life with him on the Grand Ole Opry stage. He even gifted him a handwritten set of lyrics to the song with his signature that brought him to tears.
Another collaboration that fans will appreciate is “Redneck Yachclub” with Shelton. The former coach on The Voice and country star originally made a cameo in the song’s 2005 music video.
Morgan is currently out on the road through October 27 for his ‘God, Family, Country Tour 2023’ with special guest The Reeves Brothers. The tour follows the country hitmaker, author, and Army veteran’s release of his personal memoir, God, Family, Country.
Enlisted EP Tracklist:
1. “Raise The Bar” featuring Luke Combs
2. “Almost Home” featuring Jelly Roll
3. “Redneck Yacht Club” featuring Blake Shelton
4. “That’s What I Love About Sunday” featuring Gary LeVox
5. “International Harvester” featuring Lainey Wilson
6. “That Ain’t Gonna Be Me” featuring Trace Adkins
7 Interesting Things About Jelly Roll: Interview
His Mom Gave Him His Stage Name
Jelly Roll’s mother gave him that nickname when he was a kid, and it stuck. His given name is Jason DeFord, but if you try to call him that, he probably won’t realize it’s him that you’re talking to.
Plus, the name “Jelly Roll” puts him in a unique group: artists and bands named after food (think Red Hot Chili Peppers, Meat Loaf, Korn…)
(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Brent Smith Of Shinedown Inspired Him To Learn How To Sing
He explains: “Before I went out (on tour) with Shinedown… I knew I was going to sing for 45 minutes every night, and I knew I was going to sing in front of who I think is one of the best frontmen in rock n’ roll (Brent Smith). So, I then took a vocal lesson for the first time.”
What was his vocal warm-up like before learning the proper technique? “A shot of Jack, a bong hit, and some Lay’s potato chips!”
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
He Has A 'Nobody Cries Alone' Policy
The connection to his fans is profound and fully transparent. “Nothing is more important than the relationship that exists between the artist, and the person that cares about the art… They should never hear news from anybody but me, good or bad.”
He adds, “I’m an empath by nature. I don’t just hear you, I feel you.”
(Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)
MSG Is The Holy Grail Of Venues
He’s performed on hallowed ground like the Grand Ole Opry and Red Rocks, but Madison Square Garden in NYC is at the top of Jelly Roll’s music venue bucket list.
(Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
The Movie On His Life Is Already Cast
Who would play him and his wife Bunny in a feature film? “Obviously, Jelly Roll’s gotta be Jonah Hill… He’s a lively jovial dude in real life, and he can also put on the serious stuff… and nobody but Margot Robbie could do Bunny. Who else is more fit?!”
(Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)
