Craig Morgan has a lot to be excited about. The Tennessee native kicked off a huge tour with one of country’s leading ladies, Carrie Underwood, in March of this year. Since the tour started, he’s been on a media whirlwind, making stops on numerous shows, and playing just about every night.

His latest album is a fan favorite, and work is going nicely on his next album. But even with all of that, one of the things he is most excited about is the tour’s stop in Fayetteville.

“Of all the shows we’re doing this year, this is the one I’m the most excited about,” said Morgan during a recent telephone interview. “Fayetteville is my old stomping grounds, and I’ve got a bunch of old Army buddies that I can’t wait to visit, so that we can sit down and talk about old times.”

For those not in the know, before Morgan started topping the country charts, he was a soldier in the United States Army. His tenure in the Army brought him to Fort Bragg, where he served in the 82nd Airborne Division.

“I jumped out of planes, in fact, I was a jumpmaster,” he said. “We were in Fayetteville during Desert Storm, and it was a great time in our lives and in our marriage.

“In fact,” he continued. “One of my best memories came from Fayetteville.”Morgan’s oldest son was born at the old Womack Army Medical Center on Fort Bragg.

“That’s where we had our little paratrooper,” he said. “I have a lot of really great memories and a lot of great experiences that are tied to your community.”

Morgan hasn’t forgotten those experiences, and has made it a point to visit Bragg frequently to show his support for the troops. This visit will be a little different because he will be performing in one of the hottest tours this year.

“This tour has been a lot of fun so far,” he said. “We’re just a quarter of the way through it, but we are getting settled in and comfortable. Both bands are really getting into the groove.”

About Carrie Underwood, Morgan has nothing but great things to say.

“She’s just a real sweetheart,” he said. “She treats us like we are co-headliners. She makes sure that we get the same respect. It’s really hectic, but every now and then, I’ll join her on stage for a duet. It’s a lot of fun.”

And while Morgan talks about being comfortable on the tour, he’s defi nitely not laid back.

Morgan actually does most of his writing on the road. “When you’re on the road 280 days a year, the last thing you want to do when you’re at home is write. I want to spend time with my family,” he said.

“I’m actually working on a new album as we speak,” he continued. “I’ve had a couple of writers out with me on tour, and we’ve put together some great songs, and when I get the chance to come in off the road, I’m working on the vocals. This may be the greatest record I will ever make. I feel that strongly about the material.”

While fans have the new album to look forward to, they can enjoy a lot of Morgan’s hits and songs off his last album at the Crown Coliseum on Friday, April 30 at 7:30 p.m. For tickets and more information, visit the Web site at www.atthecrown.com.