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Albums19
Songs145
AboutSammy Kershaw rode in on the new traditionalist wave in the
early '90s, finding success with a penchant for ballads and a blend
of updated honky tonk (especially the vocal stylings of George
Jones), Southern rock, and a hint of Cajun flavor. But as his
career progressed, Kershaw moved farther and farther into
crossover-minded country-pop, which actually eroded his early
following. He was born in 1958 in Kaplan, LA, in the heart of Cajun
country; in fact, his third cousin was legendary Cajun fiddler Doug
Kershaw. He got his first electric guitar at age 11 from his
grandfather, but sadly, his father passed away not long after,
forcing Kershaw to get professional as quickly as he could. He
debuted at age 12 with local bandleader J.B. Perry and often worked
for Perry as both a musician and roadie during his teenage years,
touring the Southern club and honky tonk circuit.In 1980,
Kershaw moved to Oklahoma with his wife and worked a day job
while singing in local bands. However, his marriage fell apart two
years later, and he returned to Louisiana, where he went through
a succession of day jobs, remarried in 1985, and joined a touring
club band called Blackwater in the mid-'80s. Unfortunately, the
honky tonk lifestyle took its toll on Kershaw, who developed
major problems with drugs and alcohol. In order to save his
marriage, he quit everything cold turkey in 1988 — including the
music business, taking a full-time job at Wal-Mart as a supervisor
of store remodeling. However, his songwriter friend Barry Jackson
convinced him to submit a demo tape to Mercury Records in 1990,
and after a showcase performance, Kershaw finally landed the
record deal he'd spent so long pursuing.Kershaw's debut album,
Don't Go Near the Water, was released in 1991 and spawned
the breakout hit single "Cadillac Style," which reached number
three on the country charts the following year. The title cut and
"Yard Sale" both charted in the Top 20, and "Anywhere but Here"
became his second Top Ten hit in 1993, helping the album go
platinum. Later that year, Kershaw issued his second album,
Haunted Heart, which many critics and fans still regard as his
finest. The lead single, "She Don't Know She's Beautiful,"
became Kershaw's first number one hit, and its three follow-ups
— the title track, "Queen of My Double Wide Trailer," and "I Can't
Reach Her Anymore" — all went Top Ten; plus, the album became
his second straight million-seller. Building on that commercial
success, Kershaw began his shift away from hard honky tonk
and toward more radio-friendly contemporary country with his
next effort, 1994's Feelin' Good Train. He scored two number two
hits with the anthem "National Working Woman's Holiday" and a
cover of the Amazing Rhythm Aces' country-rock hit "Third Rate
Romance"; plus, the album featured a duet with his longtime idol
George Jones on "Never Bit a Bullet Like This." At the end of the
year, Kershaw released a holiday album, Christmas Time's a
Comin'.Kershaw returned in 1996 with Politics, Religion and Her,
which found his sales beginning to slip a bit. Even so, he managed
two Top Ten hits off the album: "Meant to Be" and the novelty
song "Vidalia." 1997's Labor of Love was a ballad-heavy affair
that returned Kershaw to the Top Ten of the country album
charts; its "Love of My Life" became Kershaw's last big hit to
date, peaking at number two. Even so, Kershaw's albums were
growing increasingly uneven and pushing him farther into adult
contemporary territory. That was especially true on 1999's Maybe
Not Tonight, which found him covering '70s soft rocker Leo Sayer's
"More Than I Can Say"; he also duetted on the Top 20 title track
with Lorrie Morgan, who became his third wife in 2001. That year,
they teamed up for the duet album I Finally Found Someone.
Neither it nor Kershaw's last solo album produced any big-time
hits, and he wound up parting ways with Mercury in the aftermath.
He went on to sign with Koch subsidiary Audium, a newly
established home for many country veterans of the '80s and '90s.
His first album for the label, I Want My Money Back, was released
in 2003.
early '90s, finding success with a penchant for ballads and a blend
of updated honky tonk (especially the vocal stylings of George
Jones), Southern rock, and a hint of Cajun flavor. But as his
career progressed, Kershaw moved farther and farther into
crossover-minded country-pop, which actually eroded his early
following. He was born in 1958 in Kaplan, LA, in the heart of Cajun
country; in fact, his third cousin was legendary Cajun fiddler Doug
Kershaw. He got his first electric guitar at age 11 from his
grandfather, but sadly, his father passed away not long after,
forcing Kershaw to get professional as quickly as he could. He
debuted at age 12 with local bandleader J.B. Perry and often worked
for Perry as both a musician and roadie during his teenage years,
touring the Southern club and honky tonk circuit.In 1980,
Kershaw moved to Oklahoma with his wife and worked a day job
while singing in local bands. However, his marriage fell apart two
years later, and he returned to Louisiana, where he went through
a succession of day jobs, remarried in 1985, and joined a touring
club band called Blackwater in the mid-'80s. Unfortunately, the
honky tonk lifestyle took its toll on Kershaw, who developed
major problems with drugs and alcohol. In order to save his
marriage, he quit everything cold turkey in 1988 — including the
music business, taking a full-time job at Wal-Mart as a supervisor
of store remodeling. However, his songwriter friend Barry Jackson
convinced him to submit a demo tape to Mercury Records in 1990,
and after a showcase performance, Kershaw finally landed the
record deal he'd spent so long pursuing.Kershaw's debut album,
Don't Go Near the Water, was released in 1991 and spawned
the breakout hit single "Cadillac Style," which reached number
three on the country charts the following year. The title cut and
"Yard Sale" both charted in the Top 20, and "Anywhere but Here"
became his second Top Ten hit in 1993, helping the album go
platinum. Later that year, Kershaw issued his second album,
Haunted Heart, which many critics and fans still regard as his
finest. The lead single, "She Don't Know She's Beautiful,"
became Kershaw's first number one hit, and its three follow-ups
— the title track, "Queen of My Double Wide Trailer," and "I Can't
Reach Her Anymore" — all went Top Ten; plus, the album became
his second straight million-seller. Building on that commercial
success, Kershaw began his shift away from hard honky tonk
and toward more radio-friendly contemporary country with his
next effort, 1994's Feelin' Good Train. He scored two number two
hits with the anthem "National Working Woman's Holiday" and a
cover of the Amazing Rhythm Aces' country-rock hit "Third Rate
Romance"; plus, the album featured a duet with his longtime idol
George Jones on "Never Bit a Bullet Like This." At the end of the
year, Kershaw released a holiday album, Christmas Time's a
Comin'.Kershaw returned in 1996 with Politics, Religion and Her,
which found his sales beginning to slip a bit. Even so, he managed
two Top Ten hits off the album: "Meant to Be" and the novelty
song "Vidalia." 1997's Labor of Love was a ballad-heavy affair
that returned Kershaw to the Top Ten of the country album
charts; its "Love of My Life" became Kershaw's last big hit to
date, peaking at number two. Even so, Kershaw's albums were
growing increasingly uneven and pushing him farther into adult
contemporary territory. That was especially true on 1999's Maybe
Not Tonight, which found him covering '70s soft rocker Leo Sayer's
"More Than I Can Say"; he also duetted on the Top 20 title track
with Lorrie Morgan, who became his third wife in 2001. That year,
they teamed up for the duet album I Finally Found Someone.
Neither it nor Kershaw's last solo album produced any big-time
hits, and he wound up parting ways with Mercury in the aftermath.
He went on to sign with Koch subsidiary Audium, a newly
established home for many country veterans of the '80s and '90s.
His first album for the label, I Want My Money Back, was released
in 2003.
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