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Sammy Kershaw

Born in Kaplan, LA

Sammy Kershaw's Genre:

Contemporary Country, Country, New Traditionalist, Honky Tonk, Neo-Traditionalist Country

Biography

Sammy 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, Louisiana, 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 and the title track made it into Billboard's Country Top 40, but the record soon slipped down the charts. Audium closed a little while after the release of I Want My Money Back and Kershaw moved over to Category 5 in 2006, where he released Honky Tonk Boots in June of that year; it generated no hits and the label folded in 2007.

After these two records, Kershaw spent some time pursuing a political career, running for lieutenant governor of Louisiana as a Republican in that state's 2007 primary. He came in second in the election; he attempted to run again in 2010 and came in second that year, as well. Also in 2010, Kershaw returned to music, releasing the Buddy Cannon-produced Better Than I Used to Be album on Big Hit Records that summer. Two years later, he released his second holiday album -- A Sammy Klaus Christmas appeared on MRI that October -- and in 2013, Kershaw set out on the road with Joe Diffie and Aaron Tippin on a tour called All in the Same Boat; the trio released an accompanying album of the same name in May. ~ Steve Huey

AOL Radio Stations Sammy Kershaw is Featured on (9)

'90s Country

The popularity of country music exploded in the 1990's fueled by new artists like Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, and Brooks and Dunn. They not only changed the sound of country music, but created a whole new generation of country fans. Hear the biggest country songs from one of the biggest decades in country music on 90's Country on Slacker Radio.

George Jones Tribute

Country legend George Jones is the all-time king of heartbreak ballads and good time songs. From his rowdy take on "White Lightning" to his later signature ballad sound of "He Stopped Loving Her Today", he scored 12 number 1 records over 5 decades along with a Lifetime Achievement Grammy in 2012. On this station you'll hear the best of George Jones over the decades, his duets with Tammy Wynette and others, his influences--like Lefty Frizzell and Ernest Tubb, his contemporaries like Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings, and the multitude of artists that he directly influenced. Join Slacker as we pay tribute to "The Possum".

Country Love

Country music is the music of our lives; the good, the bad, love, and loss. Country Love on Slacker Radio takes the best of Country and focuses only on the love songs: old fashion All-American love stories. Country Love on Slacker Radio plays everything from today’s superstars to yesterday’s timeless country. Fall in love with the boy or girl next door all over again. If you already enjoy Country on Slacker Radio, this is your Valentines Day soundtrack.

Justin Moore Showcase

This is the Justin Moore Artist Showcase station on Slacker Radio. Tune in to hear music hand-picked by Justin as well as commentary about the songs that influenced his music and his life.

Country

Country on Slacker Radio plays the biggest country hits of the '90s and today with a few of the all-time favorites sprinkled in just to make things interesting! Country is the number one music choice in America and this fun, up-tempo blend of music will keep your boots scootin'! You’ll hear all of the big artists of today including Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts mixed in with all-time greats like George Strait, Alan Jackson and Reba McEntire.

Country Christmas

Get in the spirit of the season with Country Christmas on Slacker Radio. You'll hear all the holiday standards and new seasonal releases from today's biggest country stars including Carrie Underwood, George Strait, Alan Jackson and Rascal Flatts--plus classic artists like Willie Nelson, Brenda Lee, Gene Autry and Merle Haggard.

Party Country

This is Party Country on Slacker Radio. It's a party radio station featuring your favorite Country hits so shake your Honkytonk Badonkadonk and have fun.

Classic Country

Classic Country on Slacker Radio is for folks who really want it COUNTRY! If you’ve found that most country radio stations around today don’t play real country music, well Classic Country is just for you. All the big names are here including Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty, Dolly Parton and more!

Sammy Kershaw

This station plays the best music from and music from related artists like Sawyer Brown, Tracy Lawrence, Mark Chesnutt, Clint Black, Randy Travis, Travis Tritt, Joe Diffie, Alan Jackson, Alabama, John Michael Montgomery and more.

All Stations

Sammy Kershaw's Selected Discography (19)

A Sammy Klaus Christmas

2012 Big Hit Records201212 Songs

Artists Related to Sammy Kershaw (50)

	Sawyer Brown	One of those rare acts who actually became stars directly from winning Star Search, country-rockers Sawyer Brown wound up enjoying a long, hit-filled career and remained commercially viable into the new millennium.
	Tracy Lawrence	Part of the commercial rise of rock-tinged honky tonk in the early '90s, Tracy Lawrence was one of the decade's most reliable country hitmakers.
	Mark Chesnutt	Neo-honky tonker Mark Chesnutt parlayed a solid grounding in classic country into chart-topping stardom during the '90s.
	Clint Black	A country music traditionalist from Texas, Clint Black was one of the first artists to kick-start the mass-market popularity of country in the '90s.
	Randy Travis	Like the Beatles in rock, Randy Travis marks a generational shift in country music. When his Storms of Life came out in 1986, country music was still wallowing in the post-urban cowboy recession, chasing elusive crossover dreams.
	Travis Tritt	Travis Tritt was one of the leading new country singers of the early '90s, holding his own against Garth Brooks, Clint Black, and Alan Jackson.
	Joe Diffie	Joe Diffie was regarded by many of his peers as one of the better vocalists in contemporary country, and lent his traditional sensibilities to humorous, rock-tinged novelties and plaintive ballads.
	Alan Jackson	After Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson was the most popular male country singer of the '90s. An heir to the new traditionalist movement of the '80s, Jackson's approach was rooted in classic honky tonk yet remained comfortably within the contemporary mainstream.
	Alabama	Before Alabama, bands were usually relegated to a supporting role in country music. In the first part of the century, bands were popular with audiences across the country, but as recordings became available, nearly every popular recording artist was a vocalist, not a group.
	John Michael Montgomery	Part of the '90s wave of honky tonk hitmakers that brought country to new commercial heights, John Michael Montgomery made his name primarily as a romantic balladeer.
	George Strait	Out of all the new country singers to emerge in the early '80s, George Strait stayed the closest to traditional country.
	Brooks & Dunn	The undisputed kings of the '90s line-dancing craze, Brooks & Dunn are not only the biggest-selling duo in country music history, they've also sold more records than any other duo period, including Simon & Garfunkel.
	Aaron Tippin	Aaron Tippin was part of the commercial explosion of new traditionalist country in the early '90s, making his name with a mixture of macho, rowdy honky tonkers, sentimental ballads, and patriotic working-man's anthems.
	Tracy Byrd	Tracy Byrd's brand of new traditionalist country made him a star in the '90s, particularly his playful, good-time party singalongs (though he also turned in the occasional ballad success).
	Diamond Rio	Diamond Rio found major commercial success in the '90s by playing an eclectic hybrid of modern country, traditional bluegrass (especially in their harmony singing), and a hint of rock & roll.
	Vince Gill	Vince Gill paid nearly a decade-and-a-half of dues en route to becoming one of the most popular country stars of the '90s.
	Garth Brooks	Garth Brooks is a pivotal figure in the history of country music, no matter how much some country purists would like to deny it.
	Clay Walker	With his first two singles reaching number one upon their release, Clay Walker immediately established himself as a commercial success.
	John Anderson	Neo-honky tonker John Anderson was born in Apopka, FL, in 1955 and grew up listening to rock & roll, until he discovered country music at age 15 through Merle Haggard.
	Dwight Yoakam	With his stripped-down approach to traditional honky tonk and Bakersfield country, Dwight Yoakam helped return country music to its roots in the late '80s.
	Collin Raye	Contemporary country star Collin Raye burned up the sales charts in the '90s, thanks to a blend of country-rock and smooth balladry, and a willingness to record socially conscious material in between the dance and romance tunes.
	Neal McCoy	Neal McCoy's brand of neo-traditionalist honky tonk brought him a string of hits in the mid-'90s. McCoy was born Hubert Neal McGaughey, Jr.
	Little Texas	One of the most popular country bands of the early '90s, Little Texas was influenced by modern country outfits like Alabama and Restless Heart, as well as country-rock groups like the Eagles.
	Trace Adkins	Trace Adkins helped keep country's traditionalist flame burning during the crossover-happy late '90s, mixing classic honky tonk with elements of gospel, blues, and rock & roll.
	Shenandoah	Most country groups of the '80s favored a commercial pop-oriented approach that alienated many traditional listeners but captured the ear of the mainstream.
	Tanya Tucker	Tanya Tucker had her first country hit in 1972, when she was just 13 years old. Over the succeeding decades, Tucker became one of the few child performers to mature into adulthood without losing her audience, and during the course of her career, she notched a remarkable streak of Top Ten and Top 40 hits.
	Toby Keith	Toby Keith spent the '90s as a solid, workmanlike country star who met with considerable chart success, yet never quite broke free of the neo-traditionalist pack to become a household name like Garth Brooks or Alan Jackson.
	Reba McEntire	Reba McEntire was the most successful female recording artist in country music in the 1980s and 1990s, during which time she scored 22 number one hits and released five gold albums, six platinum albums, two double-platinum albums, four triple-platinum albums, a quadruple-platinum album, and a quintuple-platinum album, for certified album sales of 33.
	Lonestar	Though their name might lead you to believe that Lonestar was formed in Texas, the quintet actually hails from Tennessee.
	Tim McGraw	When Tim McGraw debuted in the early '90s, few would have predicted that he would eventually take over Garth Brooks' position as the most popular male singer in country music.
	George Jones	By most accounts, George Jones was the finest vocalist in the recorded history of country music. Initially, he was a hardcore honky tonker in the tradition of Hank Williams, but over the course of his career he developed an affecting, nuanced ballad style.
	Conway Twitty	Originally a '50s rock & roll singer, Conway Twitty became the reigning country superstar of the '70s and '80s, racking up a record 40 number one hits over the course of two decades.
	Hank Williams, Jr.	The offspring of famous musicians often have a hard time creating a career for themselves, yet Hank Williams, Jr.
	Gary Allan	Gary Allan hit the honky tonk circuit in his native Southern California at the seasoned age of 12. Playing in and out of the smoky, sweaty bars with his dad's band led Allan to follow in his father's footsteps and start his own band.
	Trisha Yearwood	One of the most popular female country singers of the '90s, Trisha Yearwood initially rose to fame as a protégée of Garth Brooks but quickly staked out her own identity as an assertive yet vulnerable modern woman.
	Ronnie Milsap	Ronnie Milsap was one of the major figures of country music in the 1970s, developing a hybrid of country and pop that brought him a large audience.
	Kenny Chesney	Contemporary country star Kenny Chesney didn't have the immediate breakout success that many of his peers enjoyed upon signing with major labels, but gradually built up a significant following via hard work, pop-friendly ballads, and a likable, "Average Joe" persona.
	Keith Whitley	Keith Whitley's legacy loomed large over the country music landscape of the '90s. A talented new country singer and songwriter, Whitley was just beginning to emerge as a superstar at the time of his death in 1989.
	Montgomery Gentry	Country duo Montgomery Gentry evokes the sound and spirit of Southern rockers like Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Marshall Tucker Band, and Charlie Daniels, painting themselves as rowdy redneck rebels who still hold small-town values.
	Chris LeDoux	Prior to becoming a successful independent country artist, Chris LeDoux was a rodeo champion known for his bareback-riding skill and made his name in music by writing countless songs about the rodeo life.
	Waylon Jennings	If any one performer personified the outlaw country movement of the '70s, it was Waylon Jennings. Though he had been a professional musician since the late '50s, it wasn't until the '70s that Waylon, with his imposing baritone and stripped-down, updated honky tonk, became a superstar.
	The Bellamy Brothers	Best-known for the easy rolling, '70s Southern soft rock classic "Let Your Love Flow," the Bellamy Brothers are the most successful duo in country music history, consistently climbing into the upper reaches of the Billboard country charts during the '80s.
	Merle Haggard	As a performer and a songwriter, Merle Haggard was the most important country artist to emerge in the 1960s, and he became one of the leading figures of the Bakersfield country scene in the '60s.
	Patty Loveless	One of the most popular female singers of the new traditionalist movement, Patty Loveless rose to stardom thanks to her blend of honky tonk and country-rock, not to mention a plaintive, emotional ballad style.
	Kenny Rogers	It took several tries before Kenny Rogers became a star. As a member of the First Edition (and the New Christy Minstrels before that), he shared in some million-sellers, among them "Reuben James" and "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town," an excellent Mel Tillis song about a disabled veteran.
	Doug Stone	Contemporary country star Doug Stone made his name as a lonesome baritone balladeer, though he's also adept at hard uptempo country.
	The Judds	Up until the rise of Brooks & Dunn in the '90s, the Judds were the most commercially successful duo in country music history.
	Charlie Daniels	A talented and showy fiddler, Charlie Daniels and his band fuse hardcore country with a hard-edged Southern rock, boogie, and blues.
	Brad Paisley	Contemporary country singer/songwriter Brad Paisley was born October 28, 1972, in Glen Dale, West Virginia; given his first guitar at age eight, he delivered his first public performance at church two years later.
	Blake Shelton	Oklahoma native Blake Shelton moved to Nashville in 1994, two weeks after his high school graduation, to launch a songwriting career that would eventually make him one of the leading males in contemporary country music.