Craig Morgan’s ‘Enlisted’ EP Is A Collaborative Country Music Extravaganza Featuring Lainey Wilson, Blake Shelton & More
The project includes six tracks, including two brand new songs.
Craig Morgan; Photo by Andrew Wendowski, Lainey Wilson; Photo by Mason Goodson, Blake Shelton; Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images
Craig Morgan has enlisted several of his superstar friends, including Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Blake Shelton, and Lainey Wilson to join him in reimagining some of his biggest hits as duets on a new project.
Six-Song EP
The six-song EP, dubbed Enlisted, is set to release on October 20 via Broken Bow Records. Included on the project are some of Morgan’s fan-favorite hits, like “That’s What I love About Sunday” and “Redneck Yacht Club” plus two brand-new tracks.
“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,” the Grand Ole Opry member shared in a statement.
Superstar Friends
The EP opens with the new blue-collar anthem, “Raise The Bar,” featuring Morgan’s friend and neighbor, Luke Combs.
Another new track, That Ain’t Gonna Be Me,” featuring special guest Trace Adkins, closes out the project.
“For me, it’s about God and family and country,” Morgan said of the song. “I am so blessed, and I recognize the blessings of the freedoms we celebrate in this nation.”
Jelly Roll lends his vocals to the powerful “Almost Home.” The pair famously performed the song together on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry last year. Jelly Roll deeply connects with the lyrics as it played a pivotal role in his life during a time when he was incarcerated.
“This song is full circle for me. It’s about situations you are sometimes in that you just mentally want to be somewhere else — ‘Almost Home’ — it’s something that I listened to in jail. Me and my cellmates could really relate to it,” the genre-bending star recalled. “When I got out, I spent what little money I had and went to see Craig Morgan at the Grand Ole Opry and cried when he sang it.”
“An Absolute Honor”
Joining Craig Morgan on “International Harvester is his friend and labelmate, Lainey Wilson.
“It’s an absolute honor to be a part of this record,” she shared. “I remember the first time I ever heard ‘International Harvester’ and the feeling I got knowing that there was music being written that felt like it was made just for me. I come from a family of farmers, so it’s really a full circle moment to be on this track alongside my good friend Craig.”
Shelton’s Hilarious Statement
Blake Shelton, who made a cameo in the “Redneck Yacht Club” music video in 2005, joins Morgan on the reimagined version of the song.
Shelton expressed his excitement for the project in a hilarious statement.
“Craig and I have been friends for many years. I’m a fan of his music and admire him as a human. After all of these years, I still don’t understand why he still feels the need to wear that toupee, but I’m thrilled he asked me to sing with him on ‘Redneck Yacht Club,’” he quipped.
Rascal Flatts’ lead singer Gary LeVox is also featured on the project, lending his iconic vocals to the sentimental “That’s What I Love About Sunday.”
U.S. Army Reserve
Craig Morgan’s Enlisted EP announcement comes just weeks after the country star enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve on country music’s most famous stage.
Live on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, Morgan was joined by General Andrew Poppas, Commander, US Army Forces Command, to be sworn in in front of the Opry crowd.
“I’m excited to once again serve my country and be all I can be in hopes of encouraging others to be a part of something greater than ourselves,” Morgan shared via a press release. “I love being an artist but I consider it a true privilege and honor to work with what I believe are the greatest of Americans, my fellow soldiers. God Bless America. Go Army.”
Craig Morgan is assigned to Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, and is a recipient of the Army’s Outstanding Civilian Service Medal and the USO Merit Award, as well as a member of the U.S. Field Artillery Hall of Fame.
Having previously devoted seventeen years to the Army and Army Reserve with the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions as an E-6 Staff Sergeant and Fire Support Specialist, which included certifications in Airborne, Air Assault, and Rappel Master, Craig Morgan is embarking on a new chapter of service for his country.
Craig Morgan is in the midst of his God, Family, Country Tour 2023, which runs through the end of October.
Craig Morgan – Enlisted – Track List:
- “Raise The Bar” featuring Luke Combs
- “Almost Home” featuring Jelly Roll
- “Redneck Yacht Club” featuring Blake Shelton
- “That’s What I Love About Sunday” featuring Gary LeVox
- “International Harvester” featuring Lainey Wilson
- “That Ain’t Gonna Be Me” featuring Trace Adkins
Produced by Craig Morgan and Phil O’Donnell
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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