New Music Video From Sammy Kershaw - "My Friend Fred"

Interview Flashback - An Exclusive Interview with Sammy Kershaw

I have been blessed to write contributions/reviews/interviews/opinion pieces for several country music and roots-oriented websites and publications over the years including Saving Country Music, Nashville Scene, Country California, Country Weekly, American Noise, The 9513 and Engine 145. As a regular contributor to the last two in that list, I did close to a 100 interviews with different artists- and since both of those great sites have come down, I will reprint some of those interviews here to give them a home in perpetuity. This interview was originally published in April 2010 on The 9513.

The last twenty years have been a tale of two decades for Sammy Kershaw. Quite literally growing up in the honkytonks of the south, Kershaw first landed on national radio stations in 1991 with “Cadillac Style.” Over the course of the next ten years, he would have three platinum albums, three gold albums, 25 top forty hits and in 2001, a storybook wedding to fellow country music alum Lorrie Morgan. Few artists had more success in the 90’s than Sammy Kershaw.

But the second of those two decades wasn’t as successful. Since the end of 2001, only three Kershaw singles have charted on the radio. His marriage to Morgan was a tumultuous one and finally ended in divorce in 2007. He went through three different labels- two of them closing their doors while he was on the roster. A former employee was arrested for making threats against his family. A restaurant called HotChickens.com started with Morgan closed resulting in both Morgan and Kershaw to seek bankruptcy protection. Finally, a run for Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana in late 2007 was met with defeat despite the fact that he gained 30% of the vote.

Kershaw is intent on making the third decade of his recording career different from the last, however. With a renewed passion for performing and recording, a new single called “Better Than I Used To Be”, and an upcoming album with the same name, Kershaw is intent on fresh new beginnings. He’s even seriously reconsidering another run for office- hopeful that his passion for his home state of Louisiana will translate to publicity and tourism.

Sammy Kershaw was kind enough to take a break from the road and talk about his Louisiana roots, his new projects and future political ambitions.

KEN MORTON, JR.: Your father passed away tragically at the age of eleven and you played roadhouses and bars as a teenager to help pay family bills. Was music a passion, a necessity or perhaps a little bit of both back in the day?

SAMMY KERSHAW: Music is a passion. Always has been. It wasn’t a necessity. Music was passion and still is. It’s been something I’ve always wanted to do since I can remember. I was four or five years old and singing with George Jones and Conway and those folks when my parents would play those old 45’s. I was singing right along with them.

New Projects From Darius Rucker, Jerrod Niemann, Sammy Kershaw, Midland, Roy Orbison & More

With a little homework, lots of new projects were discovered on the horizon. Take a peek, do you have any anticipated favorites? 

Artist: Darius Rucker
Album: When Was The Last Time
Label: Capitol Nashville
Release date: October 20, 2017

Artist: Jerrod Niemann
Album: This Ride
Label: Curb
Release date: October 6, 2017

Artist: Blackhawk
Album: Greatest Hits Live
Label: Goldenlane
Release date: October 6, 2017

Artist: Sammy Kershaw
Album: Swamp Poppin'
Label: Big Hit Records
Release date: September 8, 2017

Artist: Midland
Album: On The Rocks
Label: Big Machine
Release date: September 22, 2017

Artist: The Lone Bellow
Album: Walk into a Storm
Label: Sony
Release date: September 15, 2017

Artist: David Crosby
Album: Sky Trails
Label: BMG
Release date: September 29, 2017

Artist: Roy Orbison
Album: A Love So Beautiful: Roy Orbison & The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Label: Legacy
Release date: November 3, 2017

 

That Nashville Sound Sunday Newsbytes

This weekend has plenty of country music news to share including tidbits on Sammy Kershaw, Brandy Clark, The Dixie Chicks, Valerie June, Terri Clark, Randy Rogers, Wade Bowen, Dan Tyminski, Johnny Lang and more.

- Valerie June does a beautiful job of combining R&B, bluegrass, country, blues and folk in her new music video for "Got Soul." 

- If you missed The Dixie Chicks in concert this past year, you can head to the movie theaters to watch it. DCX MMXVI — In Concert will play in select movie theaters for one night only on August 7.

- The always-intriguing Brandy Clark released a new previously-unreleased song called "You're Drunk" that you can listen to here.

- Kevin John Coyne shares his love of Terri Clark's new podcast over at Country Universe- complete with a link to listen to a couple of them including ones Clark does with Suzy Bogguss, Pam Tillis, Reba McEntire and Wade Hayes.

- Sammy Kershaw has three different album projects in the way. First up is a Louisiana "swamp pop"album out later this year with a country and gospel album planned in early 2018. On the first album: “I’ve been listening to them since I was a boy,” Kershaw says, citing artists such as Eddy Raven, Willie Tee, TK Hulin and more, “so I just thought I would like to do a tribute album to those guys and get those guys on the album with me.”

- Union Station's Dan Tyminski has signed with Universal Records and has an album coming out in the fall. “I ended up getting to write with the young man Jesse Frasure — he’s on fire right now. When we first started to sit down to write, he had a take on where the music should go that was so fun and so daring. He wasn’t afraid to go anywhere — way outside of the box that I had found myself trying to write in. And we hit it off and started writing more music. Before we knew it, we had acquired a few songs that we really liked, “Southern Gothic” being one of them.”

- Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen recorded and made a music video for Guy Clark's "Rita Ballou" at Bruce Robison's The Next Waltz's Country Bunker studio in Lockhart, Texas.

- Toby Keith's new The Bus Songs album, out September 8th, features 12 of Keith's more unorthodox songs, all of which were written – as the title suggests – with that special mentality that only the back of a tour bus can provide.

- Searing instrumentalist Johnny Lang will release his first new album in four years. Signs comes out on September 8 on Concord Records. “A lot of my earlier influences have been coming to the surface, like Robert Johnson, and Howlin’ Wolf,” he reports. “I have been appreciating how raw and unrefined that stuff is. I had an itch to emulate some of that and I think it shows in the songs. Still, I let the writing be what it was and that was sometimes not necessarily the blues.”

Sammy Kershaw To Release New Blues Album In May 2016

Artist: Sammy Kershaw
Album: The Blues Got Me
Label: Big Hit Records
Release date: May 13, 2016

Multi-platinum selling Sammy Kershaw has finally recorded the Blues album he’s been hinting at for years. The Blues Got Me features eleven songs with strong ties and sounds to Kershaw’s Louisiana roots.

In the official press release, Kershaw says, “I guess you could call it a ‘Cajunie’ Blues-type record. Lotta Cajun, Swamp-Pop Music and maybe a little bit of Zydeco influenced into this type of Blues.  Just a fun project.  Something a little different!”

"This album has been in the works for a long time and I thank God for giving me the opportunity to be able to record it and bring it to you," says Kershaw.  

 

This collection features Kershaw's take on timeless classics such as Chuck Berry's "No Money Down," the Allman Brothers' "It's Not My Cross To Bear" and the song made famous by Solomon Burke, "Where'd The Money Go."  This classic Blues album, produced by Kershaw himself, also contains seven originals written and co-written by the legend such as "I'm Going Crazy," "No Money Blues," "I'm Your Huckleberry" and others. 

1. The Blues Got Me
2. That Train
3. It's Not My Cross To Bear
4. Where'd The Money Go
5. Big Legged Woman
6. I'm Gone
7. No Money Down
8. I'm Your Huckleberry
9. I'm Goin' Crazy
10. Hot Night In Kaplan
11. No Money Blues

New Projects Announced From John Anderson, Sammy Kershaw, Keith Anderson, Billy Currington and JT Hodges

Artist: John Anderson
Title: Goldmine
Label: Bayou Boys Music
Release Date: May 26, 2015

“With Goldmine, I thought, first off, I’m going to take my songs into the studio and make a record like I think it ought to be made, without all those other influences,” Anderson says, “I’m more pleased with the sound of this record than I have been in a long time.” The first single, “I Work a Lot Better” will be shipped to radio on May 11.  When asked about the single, Anderson stated, “It was actually Josh Turner’s idea. He is a fine young man, a great talent and a real asset to modern day country music. Josh and I have written several songs together and it’s always a pleasure to write with him”.

Artist: Sammy Kershaw
Title: I Won't Back Down
Label: Cleopatra Records
Release Date: June 9, 2015

“At all of our shows, or wherever go, people keep asking for new music. I’m glad to have a new record coming their way. They’ve waited a while. Hell, I’ve waited a while,” he said with a grin. “The other aspect of the new album that makes it exciting is getting a chance to work with Tim Yasui and all the staff at Cleopatra Records. Together, we’re ready to get it out to the people.”

The album s a mixture of all things Kershaw, ranging from the romantic yearnings of “Lay Back Down” and “Let’s Lay Here Forever” to the heartfelt regret of the haunting “I Had To Give That Up Too.” He also ventures into a light-hearted feel on up-tempo cuts like “Fixer Upper” and “Grillin’ and Chillin.” As is the case with any Kershaw album, you can always count on a cover – and I Won't Back Down adds two to the mix – “Take A Letter Maria,” originally a No. 2 hit for R.B. Greaves on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1969, and the title cut, familiar to Pop listeners as a hit for Tom Petty from 1989.

Artist: Keith Anderson
Title: I'll Bring the Music EP
Label: Indie
Release Date: May 12, 2015

Award winning songwriter/performer Keith Anderson is back with brand new music, a brand new perspective and a brand new tour.  The man behind "Pickin’ Wildflowers" will release his I'll Bring the Music EP to iTunes May 12. “After taking a break when my mother passed away, it gave me a chance to focus on my growing family and appreciate the blessings in my life.  I used that fire to create this music.  I can’t wait for people to hear it,” explains Anderson.

Artist: Billy Currington
Title: Summer Forever
Label: Mercury Nashville
Release Date: June 2, 2015

Mercury Nashville recording artist Billy Currington will return with his sixth studio album, Summer Forever, on June 2. With producer Dann Huff at the helm, the project features song from writers including Ashley Gorley, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Cole Swindell, Florida Georgia Line and Jimmy Robbins.

“Making this album was such a blast for me. I put a lot of love into this project and couldn’t be more excited for fans to hear the new music,” shares Currington. “Summer Forever for me represents a positive, happy, good time lifestyle and that’s what I hope the fans feel when they hear this record.”

Artist: JT Hodges
Title: Locks on Doors EP
Label: Indie
Release Date: This week

“The EP, ‘Locks on Doors,’ is a compilation of songs I’ve always kept close to me. You could kind of say I’ve locked them behind a door, but it was time for these songs to be set free,” said Hodges of the new project. “These songs were me. The production, the music, the arrangements, all represent who I am stylistically as an artist. For the first time I was free to make music instinctively rather than calculated and for the first time every song went beyond what I imagined it could be. I’m proud of that.”  In honor of Earth Day, Hodges releases his eco-friendly EP packaged with a sleeve made of recycled paper and vegetable based inks

New Music Video From Sammy Kershaw- "The Route That I Took" (A George Jones Tribute)

Aaron Tippin, Joe Diffie and Sammy Kershaw To Release Collaborative Album Together On 5/28

Aaron Tippin, Joe Diffie and Sammy Kershaw are joining forces to release All in the Same Boat, a collaborative album inspired by the trio's current tour, "Roots & Boots".  The 12-track album is set for national sales release on May 28, 2013 on Big Hit Records.

"The idea for this album came about after the success of our 'Roots & Boots' tour," notes Kershaw.  "Joe and Aaron and I go out together on the road and play and do our hits and the fans go nuts… so we thought, 'why not just make this tour an album?'"

The 12-track album features all-new music as well as freshly recorded versions of a few familiar songs like Tippin's smash hit "Kiss This" and Kershaw's 1993 chart topper "She Don't Know She's Beautiful."

"I decided to go with two brand new songs and one old Neil Young song, 'Heart of Gold,' for my tunes on the album," says Diffie.  "I think fans will really enjoy the whole thing.  We had as much fun making the album as we do on the road!"

"Joe and Sammy are my brothers and I'm so glad we were able to find the time to record this album together," Tippin adds.  "We also shot a music video for 'All in the Same Boat.'  It's one of those with a surprise ending and somehow, we all three survived!" (Watch the 'All in the Same Boat' music video HERE).

Fans can pre-order All in the Same Boat on iTunes and Amazon beginning May 14, 2013.

New Music Video From Joe Diffie, Sammy Kershaw and Aaron Tippin- "All In The Same Boat"

TNS Video History- Sammy Kershaw- "Vidalia"

TNS Video History- Sammy Kershaw- "Queen of My Double Wide Trailer"

CD Reviews- Sammy Kershaw- Better Than I Used To Be

The Background:
The new Sammy Kershaw studio release, Better Than I Used To Be is his first new album in three years, and was produced by Buddy Cannon (Kenny Chesney) while being released by Big Hit Records/Megaforce Records/Sony/RED Distribution. Sammy Kershaw's career includes six Gold and three Platinum albums that have scanned in excess of 5 million records. He was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame this February. His eleven Top 10 singles include two # 1 hits: "She Don't Know She's Beautiful" and "Love Of My Life." This album drops as Kershaw is running for Louisiana's Lt. Governor, currently polling for the top spot out of 8 candidates.

The Review:
Three tremendous ballads and two covers make for five outstanding songs on this strong indie release from one of country music’s traditionalists, Sammy Kershaw. The first release to radio- and severely underappreciated there- is/was “Better Than I Used To Be.” It’s a great match for Kershaw with his tumultuous past personal life and history with relationships. With lyrics that recognize old demons that do not allow them to shape the man or direction of the man, it’s a tremendous single. The second great ballad is the wistful tale of running into an old ex at a restaurant and getting the cold shoulder in “Like I Wasn’t Even There.” Each chorus evolves with different lyrical memories and when he can’t catch his breath at the bar, the emotion he evokes has genuine feelings of loss. The third- and perhaps most powerful of the ballads- is “The Snow White Rows Of Arlington.” Written by Hugh Prestwood, “Arlington…” reminds us through philosophical and poetic lyrics of the real cost of protecting America from those whose ‘holy mission is to destroy all we hold dear.’ It’s a shame this song hasn’t received more publicity than it has.

And then there are the two fun covers. Better Than I Used To Be features a duet with Jamey Johnson on "Cover of the Rolling Stone," which is a remake of the classic 1972 Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show song written by Shel Silverstein. It is lightweight fare compared to some of the previous ballads, but the fun they had in recording the single translates to a smile to your ears. Kershaw also covers an old Tracy Byrd song on “Saltwater Cowboy” that somehow I had missed back in the day. It has tremendous tongue in cheek lyrics such as “If this bottle goes overboard, you better wish me luck. Cause I’m scared of sharks, but terrified of sobering up.”

Overall, the album is a great reminder why Kershaw is a fantastic country music vocalist and one of the more underrated artists of his generation. This one is definitely recommended for those that like their country classic.

Sounds Like:
A modern-day George Jones

Track Highlights (suggested iPod adds):
Better Than I Used To Be
Saltwater Cowboy
The Snow White Rows Of Arlington
Like I Wasn’t Even There
The Cover Of The Rolling Stone (with Jamey Johnson)

The Verdict:
Three & A Half Stars Out Of Five

That Nashville Sound Lyric Of The Week

That Nashville Sound's Lyric Of The Week is a new feature that we're going to run once a week (or so) that will pull a line from a song that we think is memorable. It might be funny or it might be touching. It might even be philosophical. Regardless, it makes a mark on the consciousness and we look forward to sharing them with you.

"There's got to be a fish down there dumber than I am drunk."
Sammy Kershaw- "Saltwater Cowboy"- Better Than I Used To Be

Listen To Memorial Day Music From Sammy Kershaw- "The Snow White Rows Of Arlington"

The Snow White Rows Of Arlington by SAMMY KERSHAW

Lyrics:
There are a lot of perfect reasons
To never fight another war
There are a lot of perfect questions
As to what’s worth fighting for
There are a lot of perfect fools
Who refuse to read the writing on the wall

But the truth is there are people
Who’ve made it crystal clear
That it is their holy mission
To destroy all we hold dear
They are visibly out searching for the fire
To make this towing nation fall

Now we can just sit back and wait
Until they spill more precious blood
Or we can seek these cowards out
And nip their slaughter in the bud

Adios sweet home and family
I’m off to fight a war that must be won
You’ll know why I’m going when you see
The snow white rows of Arlington

Every blade of grass is sacred
Every headstone is a shrine
To somebody who was willing
To put existence on the line
The liberty we take for granted
Was purchased with their patriotic lives

Are their sleeping spirits restless?
Do they listen for the sound?
Of the mustering of armies
To defend their hallowed ground?
Will we rise to the occasion
To ensure their legacy survives?

Through the willows blow soft breezes
They are whispering my name
Asking did they die for nothing?
Aren’t I the keeper of the flame?

Adios sweet home and family
Wave goodbye to your Louisiana son
You will know why I’m leaving when you see
The snow white rows of Arlington

CMA Music Festival & iTunes Team Up To Give Ten Free Country Songs

Just in time for CMA Music Festival, the Country Music Association and iTunes have teamed up to offer you another incredible FREE digital music sampler to say thanks for being a fan! Feed your iTunes library right now with this special collection of songs. Click HERE to download the ten tracks below:

Chris Young - Voices
Randy Houser - Whistlin Dixie
Matt Kennon - The Call
Sammy Kershaw - The Snow White Rows Of Arlington
Steve Azar - Sinkin’ or Swimin’ (with you)
Frankie Ballard - Tell Me You Get Lonely
Radney Foster - Angel Flight
David Ball - Houston Again
Randy Montana - Ain't Much Left Of Lovin' You
John Cowan - Carry On

Free Country Music Downloads From People Magazine

PEOPLE Magazine has teamed up with iTunes to offer a free download from a number of the young and up & coming acts in country music. Artists giving fans free music this week include Danny Gokey, Katie Armiger, Colt Ford & Jamey Johnson, Mindy McCready, Josh Abbot Band, Sammy Kershaw, Matt Kennon, Blaine Larson and Christian Kane. The playlist is below:

•Crazy Not To – Danny Gokey
•Kiss Me Now – Katie Armiger
•Cold Beer – Colt Ford (feat. Jamey Johnson)
•I Want A Man – Mindy McCready
•She’s Like Texas – Josh Abbott Band
•Bring On The Love – Coldwater Jane
•Better Than I Used To Be – Sammy Kershaw
•The Call – Matt Kennon
•Baby You Get Me – Blaine Larsen
•The House Rules – Christian Kane

Click HERE to get your FREE playlist from the magazine.

New Music Video From Sammy Kershaw- "Better Than I Used To Be"