George Strait photo by Danny Clinch, courtesy of UMG Nashville.

Easter falls this year on April 4, and if that holiday motivates a little spiritual consideration, a couple of new music compilations have been put together to aid your connection to the Almighty.

One’s a country-specific collection that rolls George Strait, Keith Urban and Josh Turner in among a dozen hitmakers. The other drops Carrie Underwood into an ongoing pop series that places her alongside the likes of Daughtry, Natasha Bedingfield and The Fray.

The country-centered collection, Sunday In The Country: 12 Inspiring Hits From Today’s Top Country Artists, is being released by New Haven Records with proceeds benefiting the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Diamond Rio, Trace Adkins and Tracy Lawrence all contribute tracks to the project, which extends a country-gospel tradition.

The other album, NOW That’s What I Call Faith, hits the market March 23, the same day as a standard entry in the series, Now That’s What I Call Music! Vol. 33. Carrie’s “Jesus, Take The Wheel” is featured on the Faith CD with such pop titles as The Fray’s “You Found Me,” Mat Kearney’s “Closer To Love” and Daughtry’s “Home.” The album appropriately blends them with numerous gospel and contemporary Christian acts, including Third Day, Mary Mary, Brandon Heath and Switchfoot.

“Jesus, Take The Wheel” is apparently not just a song to Carrie. Her beliefs inform her life — including her engagement to hockey player Mike Fisher.

“Mike has improved my walk with God,” Carrie told People magazine. “It’s important to me, because down the road, I want someone who will help shape our kids into people who make the world a better place.”

The complete track list for Sunday In The Country follows:
• Josh Turner, “Long Black Train”
• Diamond Rio, “I Believe”
• Keith Urban, “But For The Grace Of God”
• Martina McBride, “Blessed”
• Tim McGraw, “Drugs Or Jesus”
• Trace Adkins, “Muddy Water”
• Vince Gill, “Go Rest High On That Mountain”
• Steve Wariner, “Holes In The Floor Of Heaven”
• Tracy Lawrence, “Up To Him”
• Alabama, “Angels Among Us”
• Lee Ann Womack, “Get Up In Jesus’ Name”
• George Strait, “I Found Jesus On The Jailhouse Floor”

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