Born Loretta Lynn Morgan on June 27, 1959, Lorrie Morgan grew up the daughter of Grand Ole Opry star George Morgan. She spent many nights backstage at the Opry and made her debut there at 13.

Her father died when she was 16, and she was singing professionally a year later. By 21, she was opening shows for George Jones. She performed at Opryland USA, sang demo sessions for country publishing giant Acuff-Rose and became a member of the Opry in 1985.

Although Morgan charted her first single, "Two People in Love," in 1979, her career took off with the 1989 release of "Dear Me," a Top 10 hit that coincided with the death of her husband Keith Whitley.

Over the following decade, Morgan released three No. 1 singles -- "Five Minutes," "What Part of No" and "I Didn't Know My Own Strength." Her other hits include "Out of Your Shoes," "Watch Me,""Something in Red" and "Except for Monday."

Morgan was married to singer-songwriter Jon Randall from 1996-99, and they charted the hit duet "By My Side." Although Morgan exited BNA Records in 2000, she returned to the company's sister label RCA in 2001 with “I Finally Found Someone,” an album of duets with Sammy Kershaw. She and Kershaw married later that year.

Morgan's 12th album, Show Me How, was released in early 2003 on the Image Entertainment label. Show Me How, the twelfth LP in her stellar career, is sure to fit snugly at the top of country music’s charts. The album is a collection of eleven songs that examine life from the perspective of lessons learned and wisdom earned. On it Morgan tells tales of love, friendship, family, and flirting with clear authority but leaves any trace of melodramatic angst behind. It’s simply a mature yet witty take on reaching a point in life where you’ve learned enough to feel confident and comfortable in your own skin; which is exactly where Lorrie Morgan is now.

“I wanted it to be parallel to my life," Morgan says about the album. “I didn’t want to record anything that I couldn’t relate to, that I haven’t lived or haven’t experienced and everything we found, I think, was very mature sounding, livable, very seasoned songs."

For “Show Me How” Morgan has reunited with veteran producer Richard Landis who was behind some of the biggest hits of her career including "Something in Red," and "Watch Me.” For the project the two were granted complete creative control by her new label Image Entertainment. Morgan says the label’s hands-off approach allowed her and Landis to make a record that is more creative and honest than anything she has ever recorded.

"When you go in and tell an artist and producer what they should and shouldn’t do, you’re not going to get anything that has magic or real feeling," Morgan says. "And Richard and I were allowed to have all that control and it was awesome."

(CSC) 1. Please tell us about your new album, “I Walk Alone.” What are you most looking forward to with its release?

(Lorrie Morgan)

This is my first new music I’ve had out in a couple of years and I’m just so thankful that it’s coming out. I wrote all the songs on this album, and I’m extremely proud of it. To me, it’s like my masterpiece. It’s something I’ve worked on very, very hard the last year and a half. It’s going to be out on James Stroud’s new record label! I look forward to sharing it with the listeners.  

(CSC) 2. With this new release, what style of music did you record for it compared to your past projects?

(Lorrie Morgan)

I would say it’s a mixture of the past, and it’s something that I’ve never done before as well. There are a few songs on it that are very radio friendly, and then there are songs that are extremely deep and eerie sounding. It’s a real stretch for me right now as an artist… It’s a different side of me that most may have not seen before.

(CSC) 3. You recently took part in the Porter Wagoner “Celebrity Fishing Tournament” held during the CMA Music Festival this past June. What was that like for you, and can you share some special stories from working on the Grand Ole Opry with Porter?

(Lorrie Morgan)

The fishing tournament was awesome! I’m a big sports fan anyway so I really had a blast out there! The woman angler that took me out on the boat won the lady’s fishing tournament a few weeks after we met. We had a great time on the boat; we caught about three fish. (Laughs) We swam a little, fished a little, and had some fun; of course we were there for the Porter Wagoner benefit. There were a lot of my good friends in the industry there like Vince Gill, Tanya Tucker, Bryan White, and a few other people. Speaking of Porter, you know some of the stories with Porter are so long and drawn out. (Laughs) But I’m going to tell you, Porter was a big influence for me on the Opry. When I first started going to the Opry after my dad passed away I was very intimidated by the Opry people, and thought that maybe I wouldn’t fit in. I would get real timid onstage and backstage. Finally one day Porter introduced me on his part of the show, he was so kind and after I came off the stage he said to me, “You know I’ve been watching you, and I’ve just got a little bit of advice for you…” and I was thinking oh gosh he was going to tell me don’t come back you know but he said…“I want you to start getting out there in front of those monitors and I want you to own that stage, you walk around on that stage and let people see your pretty face.” I was just awestruck at his piece of advice. Every time since then, every time I step out from behind that monitor or in front of it, I always remember what Porter said about taking over the stage and owning it. It was a great advice for me.       

(CSC) 4. You grew up around the Grand Ole Opry, made your debut at just 13 years old, and became a member in 1985. Who introduced your first appearance that evening?

(Lorrie Morgan)

My dad…. My dad introduced me for the first time on the Grand Ole Opry. It was at that moment that I knew for the rest of my life I wanted to be a singer. That‘s what I lived for and breathed at the Grand Ole Opry. To me there’s nothing like the Grand Ole Opry.

(CSC) 5. Your father, the legendary George Morgan was also an active member of the Opry. What special memories do you treasure about your relationship with him? Did you ever record a duet together?

(Lorrie Morgan)

We did record a duet together; unfortunately it was after he had passed away. I sang on the road with him a lot and of course we sang around the house a lot together. We weren’t that fortunate to get the chance to do that because he passed away in 1975. He was just a wonderful father, man, friend… he was a one of a kind gentlemen. I was very fortunate to have grown up under his wing.   

(CSC) 6. Speaking of duets, I had the privilege of listening to your magical duet with Jack Greene recently. What was it like being able to record with one of the finest gentlemen in country?

(Lorrie Morgan)

Oh yeah?!? …. I cried, I literally cried. I’ve loved Jack for years! Again, he was another one of the so nice people to me always at the Opry. When they called me to do this duet with Jack I was just so honored. To me, Jack Greene is a legend, and I think one that has been a little bit overlooked actually in his older years. He’s one of the true great singers that we have at the Grand Ole Opry. I just cried I really did; I couldn’t believe that I was there signing with Jack, and the fact that he honored me by coming to the studio while I did my part. That really meant a lot.  

(CSC) 7. With all the wonderful talents in country music like yourself, who would you like to duet with? Would you ever consider recording a duets album?

(Lorrie Morgan)

I don’t really know. If you asked me who I wanted to sing some duets with I don’t know who that would be at this point. I’ve sang with so many of my idols and I’ve been very blessed in that way, but I’d love to have the opportunity to decide that if the project came to me.

(Country Stars Central)

I’d like to see you do something with Loretta Lynn.

(Lorrie Morgan)

That would be awesome! That would be really great! 

(CSC) 8. You have received many prestigious awards from the music industry and awards that have been voted on by your fans. Which one is more important to you and why?

(Lorrie Morgan)

You know… I think they’re both important, I really do. I know that the correct answer is the fans… of course. They’re so much similar because for my peers in the industry to recognize me is a great honor, and then for my fans out there to vote for me above someone else is another great honor. They’re equally important to me I think. I don’t think you can have one without the other. If you do, you’re not going to have a very long career.  

(CSC) 9. What do you enjoy shopping for when you aren’t working?

(Lorrie Morgan)

I go crazy over shoes. I have more shoes than I have outfits to go with them. I absolutely am a shoe fanatic. Matter of a fact I just got rid of two large hefty trash bags full of old shoes that we gave to Goodwill because I couldn’t wear them anymore. I love me some shoes! I also love sunglasses, but if I had to pick one it’s going to have to be the shoes. I am a sucker for sunglasses as well. (Laughs)

(CSC) 10. Being that Loretta Lynn is one of your musical influences, how have you had the chance to bond with her through the years?

(Lorrie Morgan)

Well Loretta often says that I’m her namesake, and we kid about it and pretend that I am …but I was born about a year or so before she came to Nashville so I wasn’t named after her. As for bonding with Loretta, we’ve worked quite a bit together actually, as well as on the road doing concert dates. When I was doing Nashville Now, she was a frequent member of Nashville Now and every time we’d do a show together I’d get up on her bus to visit, and she is just as gracious, and beautiful and as humble as she was back then. I just love her to death. I’ve just been one of the blessed ones to have been able to work with so many of these great legends.   

(CSC) 11. Growing up as a young girl, what did you find most challenging about having a parent that was in show business?

(Lorrie Morgan)

I’m going to have to say that I think it’s kind of a misconception that people had that we were real rich, or unapproachable. Especially when I was young, kids would be intimated to talk to me, but at the same time it made me be that much more outgoing because I wanted people to be able to approach me. I don’t really know if anything was really that difficult growing up in this industry. Matter of a fact it was probably much more blessings than anything negative.

(CSC) 12. Do you have any regrets about the early days of your career?

(Lorrie Morgan)

I wish I’d known I was gonna’ be as broke as much as I am. (Laughs) I would’ve saved a lot more money. I don’t really know… I’m pretty satisfied with how I handled my past. I hope I’m handling the present with dignity. I don’t think there’s anything I would change other than the first thing I told you! (Laughs)

(CSC) 13. Lastly, what’s something you’d like to share with the readers of this interview? (Something they may not know about you?)

(Lorrie Morgan)

What’s odd enough, it’s very odd that my fans know almost everything about me. I don’t know what else to tell them that they don’t already know. I enjoy hot flavored food, the spicier the better, I love popcorn, animals, and I rock myself to sleep at night, there you go! (Laughs)

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