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Smokey Robinson Breaks Cracker Barrel Color Barrier With 'Now and Then' Album

Posted on Nov 1st 2010 2:00PM by Mike Ayers

Rick Diamond, Getty Images

Though commonly thought of as a Southern eating institution, Cracker Barrel has recently been offering up exclusive country music release to its customers -- until now. This week, legendary R&B singer Smokey Robinson becomes the first African-American artist to put out an album with the restaurant chain, which has faced plenty of charges of racism and discrimination over the years. Naturally, the feat that isn't lost on Robinson.

"I'm the first black artist they've ever done," Robinson tells Spinner. "It's like a milestone for me and for them. They're trying to dispel their image of being bigots and all that stuff. They've had that image and they're not really like that. I went to Nashville, which is their headquarters, and their employees and hiring practices are very diverse. But they started out being just a white thing. I don't know, back in the day when they first started out, they could've been prejudiced."

Cracker Barrel

For their first offering, Robinson put together an album called 'Now and Then,' which culls six tracks from his 2009 album, 'Time Flies When You're Having Fun,' as well as six recently recorded live renditions of classic Robinson tunes such as 'I Second That Emotion,' 'The Tracks of My Tears' and 'The Tears of a Clown.'

"When you're a singer, you voice is your instrument, and when you take care of yourself, everything else will fall in line," the 70-year-old Robinson explains of his longevity. "I run, I walk, I've always had a good diet all my life. I haven't eaten any pork or red meat since 1972."

Indeed, Robinson has been quite active over the last year. Check out his performance at Spinner's SXSW Soul Revue and you can see that it seems like he's probably passed on plenty of free biscuits and gravy offerings.

Filed under: News, New Music, Exclusive
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Raymond Wright

I and my family have eaten in almost every state east of the missisippi river, the only thing i have found with the CRACKER BARREL , is when you leave with an OVER filled stomack of VERY good food!!!!

November 02 2010 at 4:33 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Ed Slawinski

This writer should be fired for this article. Cracker Barrel is a wonderful place for the hungry road traveler regardless of what color he or she wants to be. They have a wide variety of food and plenty of shopping articles to give one a break. I really like their country atmosphere and to make this a racist "break-through" is absolutely ridiculous.

November 02 2010 at 2:32 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Worthey

Tanya ...

That comment makes you sound like a bigot. Are you?

November 02 2010 at 2:32 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

2mom

This is the first album by an African-American artist produced EXCLUSIVELY for Cracker Barrel. Yes, other albums are available for purchase but they aren't exclusive to CB

November 02 2010 at 2:06 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Bill

Let's see...eating at Denny's or Cracker Barrel?.... hmmm. Think I will take Cracker Barrel. Though I have not worked for every restaurant chain out there, it seems from listening to everyone else that All restaurant chains are bigots, homophobes, grease pits, disloyal to their employees, rip offs on amount or taste of food. Personally, I don't go to an eating establishment because of the music played or sold..I go for the food and service and location. But what do I know...just a 52 year old white male born in California, lived in Texas, now living in Las Vegas.

November 02 2010 at 1:46 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Sharon Zeilger

This news against Craker Barrel is ridiculous. Most of the commets write how homey and how good the food is. Craker Barrel is a good old fashion resturant. And I for one want to see more old fasion things come back to our country. To me there is no back, white, yellow, or brown in this greatest of all countries on earth. We are all Americans first and formost. Our out of touch grovernment has attached all of the name calling, back, white, rich, poor, along with the media. Once we start working together as "Americans", we can get this country back to work, and we can all go the Craker Barrel for dinner.
SZ

November 02 2010 at 1:40 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

tana green

There's a reason it's a cracker.

November 02 2010 at 1:11 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

DAFFY

Anybody that thinks Cracker Barrel is close to home cooking must not be a good cook. This place is awful. Everytime we have eaten there (2 times) we all have had stomach upset. This so called restaurant is disgusting. All you see if sloppy people going in there and or large individuals. It is just another greasy pit.

November 02 2010 at 1:08 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

jack

Cracker Barrel is a horrible place to eat the food is nasty there i will never go back there EVER

November 02 2010 at 1:07 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Lou Sauppe

I think the Cracker should expan to the west so more people can enjoy great food.

November 02 2010 at 1:02 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply