Michael W. Smith will spend the end of 2014 in the Christmas spirit, launching a holiday tour across the United States and Canada beginning Nov. 30.
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store will sponsor “The Spirit of Christmas Tour,” extending a partnership that began earlier this year with the exclusive release of Smith’s first hymns album, Hymns.
The album received a Dove Award nomination for Inspirational Album of the Year.
“I’m really happy to have Cracker Barrel as a tour sponsor,” Smith said. “Our local Cracker Barrel has become a very special place over the past several years. It’s where I take my dad once a week for breakfast. We’ve shared some great memories there that I’ll always cherish.”
Smith said those family connections made the restaurant chain a natural fit for the Christmas tour.
“Christmas is a time when families come together, and often they gather to share a meal at Cracker Barrel,” said Julie Craig, marketing manager for Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. “When we were approached about sponsoring ‘The Spirit of Christmas Tour,’ we knew it would be a great fit.”
Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant Reunite for Three Concerts
Smith will also reunite with longtime friend Amy Grant for three co-headlining concerts in Dallas, Minneapolis and Atlanta. The pair will perform their Christmas program with a full symphony orchestra.
The tour follows the Sept. 30 release of Michael W. Smith & Friends: The Spirit of Christmas, a collaborative holiday album featuring Grant, Vince Gill, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Nettles, Bono and Michael McDonald.
“This is the most unique and unusual record I’ve ever done in my 31-year career,” Smith said.
Smith co-produced the album with television producer Robert Deaton and orchestral arranger David Hamilton.
‘The Spirit of Christmas Tour’ Dates
- Nov. 30 — Anaheim, California
- Dec. 1 — Modesto, California
- Dec. 3 — Clarksville, Tennessee
- Dec. 4 — Nashville, Tennessee
- Dec. 5 — Birmingham, Alabama
- Dec. 6 — Richmond, Virginia
- Dec. 11 — Wichita, Kansas
- Dec. 12 — Dallas*
- Dec. 13 — Minneapolis*
- Dec. 15 — Atlanta*
- Dec. 18 — Spokane, Washington
- Dec. 19 — Portland, Oregon
- Dec. 20 — Seattle
- Dec. 21 — Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
*Co-headlining with Amy Grant and a full symphony orchestra.