Jason Michael Carroll‘s haunting song “Alyssa Lies,” which tells of a girl victimized by child abuse, moved the nation. Radio airplay and Carroll’s live performances made the track a grassroots hit months before the release of his CD, which soared to No. 1 and became the bestselling album debut by a male country singer in 15 years. The North Carolina singer-songwriter, 28, says the message hasn’t missed him: “I find that I hug my kids a little longer.”