Lorrie Morgan and Sammy Kershaw spent two decades waiting for the chance to record an album together. With one listen of their RCA project, I Finally Found Someone, it's clear that the wait was well worth it. Lorrie and Sammy have a lot in common.
Both are respected vocalists who have enjoyed lengthy and successful careers in country music. Between them, they have seven Platinum albums, with five others certified Gold. As artists, they revere country music's tradition, yet they've consistantly demonstrated a desire to push musical boundaries.
"Sammy and I have known each other for 20 years," Lorrie says, "and we've wanted to record an album together ever since we met" That encounter took place in Lafayette, Louisiana in 1981, when Lorrie was touring as George Jones' opening act. Those were dark days in the country legend's career when his alcohol dependency was building his reputation as "No Show Jones." Lorrie admits, "It had gotten to the point where you never knew if George was going to be there for the show or not.
" When he failed to materialize for the Louisiana concert, Lorrie recalls, "The owner of the club told me, 'We've got a guy who sings here a lot. Let him sing some of George's parts and we'll do the show so the crowd doesn't get mad.' I knew the Tammy parts, then Sammy came onstage -- and that's when we first sang together.
It was to keep the crowd from tearing down the building." Sammy was confident when he joined Lorrie onstage that first night, explaining, "It didn't bother me. I'd been singing that stuff since I was 12 years old.
I knew what I could do and I enjoyed singing. I just thought it was an honor to be able to sing with Lorrie and George's band, the Jones Boys." Through the years, Lorrie has recorded or sung with an impressive list of artists, including Frank Sinatra, Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams, Tammy Wynette, the Beach Boys, George Jones, Merle Haggard, and Keith Whitley.
While Lorrie and Sammy acknowledge that it's difficult to explain the musical chemistry that makes for a great duet, they both agree that they've found the perfect match together. "There's a feeling you get in your throat when voices match," Lorrie says. "It's like if you were suspended in space and suddenly somebody grabbed your arm -- and you know that is a good feeling.
That's how I define knowing that you can sing with somebody. It just meshes. Your throat feels like you're safe with another singer.
" Sammy adds, "We just enjoy singing together. Our voices have always matched pretty good. Lorrie has a lot of soul.
I don't hear as much of that in voices today." Describing Sammy's strengths, Lorrie says, "He's a very emotional singer. His roots are deep in country and southern rock.
He puts a lot of fire in his vocals. He's been through a lot of crap in his life, just like most of us have. I think sometimes that gives you the heart to sing.
" Aside from the singing, I Finally Found Someone provided an outlet for Lorrie and Sammy's songwriting. Lorrie performs, "I Must Be Gettin' Older," a song she wrote when she was just 18. Sammy provides a rock edge with his original, "Sugar.
" Together, they wrote one of the album's duet highlights -- "That's Where I'll Be." Despite the quality of the material, Sammy still insists, "I don't claim to be a songwirting. I might write one or two songs a year -- and that's about it.
I never did think I was any good at it, but I've been lucky on the last few albums to write at least one song that the record label thought was good enough to be on the album." Lorrie says, "This is probably the first time anybody has really heard anything I've written other than 'War Paint' or 'If You Came Back From Heaven.' It's taken me a long time, because people never looked at me as a writer.
" Working with producers Norro Wilson and Brian Tankersly, Sammy says, "Everybody had fun in the studio. As soon as everybody walks into the studio to work, Norro knows how to set everybody at ease right away. He's a veteran.
He's a great producer." "Sammy and I kind of set our own mood when we were in the vocal booth," Lorrie says, "but as far as being in the studio with Bryan and Norro, there was always some joke going on. Norro Wilson is one of the funniest human beings I've ever known in my life.
" "Sammy and I drive each other," Lorrie says. "We inspire each other. I think that's what you need in a duet partner.
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