Sammy Kershaw
Sammy Kershaw | |
|---|---|
| Born | Samuel Paul Cashat February 24, 1958 Kaplan, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Country music artist, politician |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Known for | "She Don't Know She's Beautiful", multiple platinum albums |
Samuel Paul Cashat (born February 24, 1958), professionally recognized as Sammy Kershaw, is an American country music artist who has released 16 studio albums, earning three RIAA platinum and two gold certifications. He has charted over 25 singles within the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot Country Songs rankings, featuring his sole number one single "She Don't Know She's Beautiful" alongside ten additional Top 10 hits such as "Cadillac Style", "Anywhere but Here", "Haunted Heart", and "Queen of My Double-Wide Trailer".
In addition to his music career, Kershaw ventured into politics as a Republican contender for lieutenant governor of Louisiana in both 2007 and 2010. He placed third in the 2007 jungle primary, with Democrat Mitch Landrieu ultimately winning the general election. Although he won the most parishes in the 2010 race, he again finished third and subsequently endorsed Republican Jay Dardenne, who secured the office. Between 2001 and 2007, Kershaw was married to fellow country vocalist Lorrie Morgan.
Early life and career
Originating from Kaplan, Louisiana, located within the Acadiana region, Kershaw is a third cousin to musicians Rusty and Doug Kershaw. At age 11, the same year he lost his father, his grandfather gifted him his first guitar. To help support his family financially, he took on various day jobs while performing nightly at roadhouses. Early in his career, he collaborated with Louisiana music legend J.B. Pere. By the age of 12, he was playing in honky-tonks and bars, and at 14 he encountered his musical hero George Jones. As a teenager, Kershaw opened for renowned artists such as Ray Price, Merle Haggard, and George Jones.
Musical career
A demo tape sent to Mercury Records resulted in Kershaw’s debut album in 1991, Don't Go Near the Water. This album achieved platinum certification from the RIAA and featured four successful singles, including the lead single "Cadillac Style" which peaked at No. 3. Initially hesitant, Kershaw was convinced by co-producer Buddy Cannon to release this track. His honky-tonk vocal style drew frequent comparisons to George Jones, whose early hit "What Am I Worth" Kershaw covered on this record.
In 1993, Kershaw received a nomination for the Academy of Country Music Award for New Male Vocalist of the Year, competing against contemporaries like Billy Ray Cyrus and Tracy Lawrence.
His sophomore album, Haunted Heart (1993), included his only chart-topping single, "She Don't Know She's Beautiful". Additional Top 10 hits from this album were the title track, "Queen of My Double-Wide Trailer", and "I Can't Reach Her Anymore". Despite initial doubts about its mainstream appeal, Kershaw chose to release "Queen of My Double-Wide Trailer" because of its personal significance. Like his debut effort, Haunted Heart also earned platinum status. In 1994, he contributed tracks to both the Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute album Skynyrd Frynds and the AIDS awareness compilation Red Hot + Country.
Kershaw’s third studio effort, Feelin' Good Train (1994), produced four charting singles including two that reached No. 2: "National Working Woman's Holiday" and a rendition of "Third Rate Romance". Other singles included "Southbound" which peaked at No. 27 and "If You're Gonna Walk, I'm Gonna Crawl" which reached No. 18. The album featured a duet with George Jones titled "Never Bit a Bullet Like This" and was certified gold. In 1995, Kershaw released a holiday-themed album titled Christmas Time's A-Comin' along with his first greatest hits collection, Greatest Hits, Volume 1, which contained "Your Tattoo," marking his first single that failed to enter the Top 40.
Mid to Late 1990s
Sammy Kershaw's fourth studio project, the gold-certified Politics, Religion and Her (1996), delivered Top 10 hits with "Meant to Be" and "Vidalia," the latter being an unconventional choice that ultimately succeeded. Other singles such as "Fit to Be Tied Down" and the album’s title track reached the Top 30. The record also featured renditions of Chuck Berry’s "Memphis, Tennessee" and Sammy Johns’ "Chevy Van." Additionally, during that year, Kershaw briefly owned a NASCAR Busch Series racing team.
In 1997, his fifth album Labor of Love predominantly showcased ballads. It produced a No. 2 hit with "Love of My Life," marking his last US Top 10 appearance. Although subsequent singles charted lower, the album achieved platinum status. His following release, Maybe Not Tonight, included a duet with Lorrie Morgan that reached the Top 20.
Kershaw expressed admiration for his collaboration with Morgan, emphasizing their strong vocal harmony and personal rapport. Nevertheless, Maybe Not Tonight did not meet commercial expectations and became his first album without RIAA certification. Singles like "When You Love Someone" and "Me and Maxine" peaked in the thirties, while "Louisiana Hot Sauce" failed to enter the charts.
In 2000, Kershaw issued Covers the Hits, a collection of ten cover songs from various points in his career, including previously released tracks and contributions to tribute compilations such as Skynyrd Frynds. This album also featured an unreleased cover of Dr. Hook’s "Little Bit More," recorded during sessions for Labor of Love.
2000s
By 2001, Kershaw had married Morgan, and together they released a duet album titled I Finally Found Someone, which included a rendition of the Barbra Streisand/Bryan Adams duet. The album experienced modest commercial success, yielding just one Top 40 single: "He Drinks Tequila," which peaked at No. 39. A second greatest hits compilation was subsequently released before Kershaw parted ways with Mercury Records.
In 2003, he signed with Audium Entertainment to release I Want My Money Back, whose title track reached No. 33 but was followed by singles with diminishing chart performance. The final single, "Beer, Bait & Ammo," originally by Kevin Fowler and later recorded by Mark Chesnutt, did not chart.
Following the closure of Audium’s Nashville division, Kershaw joined independent label Category 5 Records in 2006. His debut release there, "Tennessee Girl," narrowly missed breaking into the Top 40 and appeared on the album Honky Tonk Boots. Another single from this period—a cover of Mel McDaniel’s Number One hit "Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On"—failed to chart; financial issues eventually led to the label shutting down in 2007.
Kershaw was inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2008 and later honored by the Louisiana Songwriters Association Hall Of Fame in 2010.
After a two-year hiatus from releasing singles, he returned with "Real People" in late 2008 on Boomerville/Big Hit; however, it did not chart. His tenth studio album, Better Than I Used to Be, was released on August 31, 2010.
Political involvement
Kershaw ventured into politics in 2007 by running for Louisiana lieutenant governor against incumbent Democrat Mitch Landrieu and Republican State Representative Gary Beard. He secured second place with approximately 30% of votes cast; Landrieu won re-election outright.
During the 2010 Gulf Oil Spill crisis, residing in Lafayette, Kershaw served as spokesperson for Protect Our Coastline, assisting fishermen and shrimpers impacted by the environmental disaster.
In August 2010, he launched a second campaign for lieutenant governor in a special election following Landrieu’s resignation to become New Orleans mayor. His Republican opponents included state party chairman Roger F. Villere Jr., St. Tammany Parish president Kevin Davis, and Secretary of State Jay Dardenne. Kershaw garnered about 19% of votes and carried 31 out of Louisiana’s 64 parishes—the highest parish count among candidates—but ultimately finished third behind Dardenne and Democrat Caroline Fayard. He endorsed Dardenne in the runoff election and actively campaigned for him thereafter.
In the subsequent 2011 lieutenant governor contest, Kershaw supported Republican Billy Nungesser against Dardenne; however, Dardenne narrowly won with approximately 53% of the vote.
2010s and Beyond
Throughout the 2010s and continuing into the present, Kershaw has maintained an active touring schedule with his band, frequently selling out shows on his acoustic "Roots and Boots" tour. This tour is notable for featuring joint performances with notable artists including Aaron Tippin, Joe Diffie, Pam Tillis, Darryl Worley, and Collin Raye.
Discography
- Studio albums
- Don't Go Near the Water (1991)
- Business Is Pleasure (1992)
- Haunted Heart (1993)
- Feelin' Good Train (1994)
- Christmas Time's A-Comin' (1994)
- Politics, Religion and Her (1996)
- Labor of Love (1997)
- Maybe Not Tonight (1999)
- I Finally Found Someone (2001)
- I Want My Money Back (2003)
- Honky Tonk Boots (2006)
- Better Than I Used to Be (2010)
- A Sammy Klaus Christmas (2012)
- All in the Same Boat (2013)
- Do You Know Me: A Tribute to George Jones (2014)
- I Won't Back Down (2015)
- The Blues Got Me (2016)
- Swamp Poppin' (2017)
- Cross Road Blues (2024)
TNN/Music City News Country Awards
|- |1993 |rowspan=2| Sammy Kershaw |rowspan=2| Star of Tomorrow | |- |1994 | |}
Country Music Association Awards
|- |1993 |Sammy Kershaw |Horizon Award | |}