Announced today from the grounds of Rowan Oak, William Faulkner's estate, Renaissance man and musician Marty Stuart's traveling summer road show The Electric Barnyard Tour presented by Waffle House, a rolling country music festival that's part tent show, part honky tonk. While many country stars take their road shows to major cities this summer, Electric Barnyard architect Marty Stuart's design is to bring first class entertainment to small towns and rural atmospheres. Merle Haggard summed it up nicely when he said "We're going back to remember the forgotten ones."

In addition to top notch music, each date will offer an "under the stars" atmosphere, great food, games (bungee jumping and bucking bulls) and an affordable ticket ($25 in advance $30 door). Doors for each show will open at 4 p.m., with music starting at 6 p.m.

The Electric Barnyard Tour stars Marty Stuart and his fabulous Superlatives, Merle Haggard and The Strangers, BR549, Connie Smith, Rhonda Vincent and The Rage and The Old Crow Medicine Show.

Waffle House, a southern icon known for its good food and fast, friendly service, has joined with CMT and WSM Radio to sponsor The Electric Barnyard Tour. "Marty Stuart asked us to help him take country music to the people who have loved it from the beginning," says Pat Warner, Waffle House Communications Director. " We are excited to help bring these first-class musicians to country music and Waffle House fans nationwide." Waffle House will be featuring Stuart's new single, 'If There Ain't There Oughta Be' in their jukeboxes throughout their 1400 restaurants in 26 states. A child prodigy, country musician and scholar, Marty Stuart joined Lester Flatt's bluegrass band in 1971 at the age of thirteen as a guitarist. Fusing honky tonk with a gritty rockabilly backbeat and a fondness for bluegrass, Stuart went on to a successful solo career recording and producing hit records. His new album entitled Country Music (Sony Nashville), will be released on July 1.

Perhaps the most important country musician to emerge in the 1960's, Merle Haggard, drawing from country, jazz, blues, and folk to push musical boundaries, has influenced an entire generation of performers. With an impressive 39 #1 country hits, numerous awards (Grammy, CMA, ACM, and BMI have all acknowledged him), the 63 year old Haggard has always set his own trends: he's the only country performer ever featured on the cover of jazz bible Downbeat; the only California born singer in the Country Music Hall of Fame; and the only artist who's done stints both as an invited entertainer at the White House and in San Quentin's infamous solitary confinement "hole" -- clearly a powerful, creative force.

One of the most critically acclaimed alternative country bands of the '90's, BR549 are known for their mixture of classic 50s honky tonk, Western swing, boogie, rockabilly, and Gram-Parsons style country rock.

Connie Smith is considered to be one of the best vocalists in country music history. Dolly Parton said, "There's really only three female singers in this world -- Barbra Streisand, Linda Ronstadt, and Connie Smith. The rest of us are just trying." Discovered by country star Bill Anderson In 1963, she signed with RCA and achieved a string of #1 hits in the mid 1960s. Ms. Smith was the first female in country music to score a #1 hit record. In 1972, she incorporated gospel music into her act. She continues to perform with the Grand Ole Opry and in 1998 returned with her first record in several years, a critically lauded self-titled issue on Warner Brothers.

The Wall Street Journal calls multi award-winning bluegrass artist Rhonda Vincent "The New Queen of Bluegrass." With 19 albums to her credit (the most recent being 'One Step Ahead' on Rounder Records), Rhonda Vincent and the Rage have been the talk of festivals the past few years playing hard driving, high energy contemporary bluegrass. A 3-time 'Female Vocalist of the Year' award-winner by the International Bluegrass Music Association (2000-2002), Rhonda Vincent and the Rage were also awarded 'Entertainer of the Year' in 2001.

Old Crow Medicine Show is a young five piece rollicking, punkified old-time acoustic band. The New Yorker said, "Their heartbreaking, plunky ballads and unfastened fiddle tunes are charged with the youthful vigor of punk rock." Old Crow does more than bring old music back to life. They give it new life...a foot stomping, hard driving, stand-up-and-shout-about-it-life.

About Waffle House™ Restaurants:
Headquartered in Norcross, GA, Waffle House has been serving Good Food Fast since 1955. Today the Waffle House system operates more than 1,400 restaurants in 26 states and serves more than 160 million customers a year. Waffle House is the world's leading server of waffles, T-bone steaks, hashbrowns, cheese 'n eggs, USDA Choice hamburgers, country ham, pork chops and grits.

About CMT:
CMT, America's No. 1 country music network, carries original programming, specials, and live concerts and events, as well as a mix of videos by established country music artists and new cutting-edge acts, including world premiere exclusive videos. Founded March 6, 1983, CMT, owned and operated by MTV Networks, reaches 67.8 million households in the United States. For more information, log on to www.cmt.com.

About 650 WSM-AM:
Home to the world-famous Grand Ole Opry for more than 77 years, 650 WSM-AM plays the best in country music. America's Country Music Station is a nationally-known leader and major influence in the broadcast industry. 650 WSM-AM is owned by Gaylord Entertainment (NYSE: GET), a leading hospitality and entertainment company based in Nashville, Tenn. For more information, visit www.wsmonline.com or www.gaylordentertainment.com.

For more information, please contact Kate Andrews Gullo (kgullo@shorefire.com) at Shore Fire Media.