Culture
Lorrie Morgan says ‘younger people are appreciating ‘80s & ‘90s country music more than ever,’ 50 years after Opry debut
By: Ian Saint
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WARREN, Ohio (WOUB) – Out of all country artists who still actively tour, Lorrie Morgan’s stake in country music history reaches further back than most everyone else’s.
Half a century before her concert at Warren’s Robins Theatre (160 E. Market St.) tomorrow, Morgan made her Grand Ole Opry debut — singing Paper Roses, the standard made popular in 1973 by Marie Osmond. Her father, George Morgan — whose Candy Kisses struck #1 on the US country chart in 1949 — was the last singer for the Opry’s residency at the “Mother Church” Ryman Auditorium; and he became the first singer on the Grand Ole Opry House’s stage in 1974.
Shortly after her 1984 induction to the Grand Ole Opry, Lorrie Morgan married Keith Whitley — who was posthumously inducted by Garth Brooks to the Country Music Hall of Fame last year, which Morgan accepted on his behalf. Brooks mentioned that Lorrie was deserving of her own induction to the Country Music Hall of Fame, and understandably so: Lorrie Morgan has sold millions of her own records — racking three #1 singles along the way.
Showtime’s George and Tammy miniseries, chronicling the relationship between George Jones and Tammy Wynette, was a bona fide blockbuster — and Lorrie Morgan was greatly involved with both. Morgan toured with Jones at the height of his “No Show Jones” notoriety; and her stunning cover of his A Picture of Me (Without You) rocketed the song back to the Top 10 two decades later. Morgan duetted with Wynette at Tammy’s last Grand Ole Opry appearance; and Morgan closed the Ryman’s memorial service for Wynette with an emotional rendition of Stand By Your Man. (Find WOUB Culture’s recap of the George and Tammy premiere here.)
As she embarks upon the fifth decade since her Grand Ole Opry debut, Lorrie Morgan took notice of a new generation attending her shows — giving her hope for the future of country music, after feeling it had veered wildly off-course with “bro country” oversaturation. Ahead of her Saturday engagement at the Robins Theatre, we’re thrilled to finally release the rest of Morgan’s insights from our vault.
Find an edited and condensed transcript of WOUB Culture’s conversation with Lorrie Morgan below.
Lorrie Morgan:
The audiences are more appreciative now…. you know, it’s younger people, too, that aren’t even really familiar with my music. So it’s kind of exciting for us, too, seeing a whole new [generation] coming through — kind of a whole new, different wave.
Ian Saint:
It’s so funny you say that. I came across an interview that you did with the Journal of Country Music in 2003, and you said something that really gave me goosebumps — in retrospect, I thought you had so much foresight with this criticism of the direction that country music radio was going.
You said, “it’s bubblegum…. that ain’t what life’s about. Country music is therapy — it’s therapy for the rural world. And it’s gotten so far away from it that nobody knows what’s real anymore. You know, people aren’t what they appear to be in their pictures anymore. That concerns me, that we’re reaching out for perfection, when country music has always been about imperfection.” Whew!
Lorrie Morgan:
Thank you, Ian, thank you!
Ian Saint:
Of course; that gave me goosebumps! The reason it strikes me so much is because you said this in 2003 — years before the “bro country” infiltration on radio…
Lorrie Morgan:
Yuck!
Ian Saint:
Your line about “people aren’t what they appear in their pictures anymore” — I mean, my God, this was before Instagram! Right before MySpace, even. In light of what’s happened with country radio since then, and the emergence of social media, how that does comment from 2003 – you know, pre-social media, pre-Kardashians, pre-“bro country” — square with where you see things now?
Lorrie Morgan:
I think it stands the same! <laugh> I mean, it stands the same. [But] I think there are more younger people appreciating the ‘80s and ‘90s country music more so than ever, because now they’ve figured out there’s a whole line of us from the ‘80s and ‘90s they’d never heard of. So [now] their interpretation of what country music is, is what they hear [from us].
And, you know, nobody sits around and looks like the Kardashians in the morning — I mean, come on, except for me, but… <laugh> I’m just kidding, Ian. But you know, [industry] people have just gotten away from the music — it’s all technical, and it’s all about looks and youth… and unfortunately — *and* fortunately — that’s not what country music is about! I mean, it’s about heartache. It’s about real stuff going on in your life… and that’s why country music has been, and always will be, the music that touches the hearts of people.
Yeah! And when you say that there are more younger people coming to your shows… you know, I think about the feelings I’ve had exploring your catalog — and I have to wonder if there’s kind of a collective movement in our generation, where we have to seek authenticity beyond what contemporary country radio will provide.
When I listen to your songs, like Watch Me and Good As I Was To You, there’s a very relatable vulnerability — especially with the turmoil of this past couple of years… and I don’t get that connection from songs about driving on dusty roads or drinking beer. And I *like* doing those things!
Lorrie Morgan:
<laughs> Yeah, we all do!
Ian Saint:
But if I’m turning to music for solace or inspiration, your songs from decades ago bear a timelessness that still resonates with our complicated feelings of today. So I’m not surprised that you’ve had a new wave of young people coming to your shows — and it sounds like you love that!
Lorrie Morgan:
Mm-hmm, I do love it. You know, I have a son who’s one of those beer-drinking, truck-driving country guys — he loves doing that stuff, and I love it too, but it’s not for everybody! And when you listen to a radio station, and that’s all you hear, are those particular songs… it’s like, when are we going to hear Whoever’s in New England by Reba [McEntire], or some of them older, greater songs, which kind of led the direction for songwriters in Nashville?
I mean, they’re not writing [songs] like that anymore. Your Dean Dillons, and people like that — the true, great writers [aren’t getting their songs recorded]. I will tell you, one of the true great writers of today is Jon Randall: he’s just a great, great writer. If you want to listen to [songs addressing] heartache and heartbreak, you need to listen to some of his songs that Miranda [Lambert] has cut.
[Life] is not all about getting in the back of a truck, and partying, and… I mean, kids do that — but *grown-ups* don’t really do that, that much. We don’t really do that! My husband and I don’t get in the back of his truck and ride through the neighborhoods, slinging beer and jumping into ponds, and looking hot in little cut-off shorts. Truthfully, you sit and you reflect on your life, and you reflect on where you went wrong, and what you would change if you could… but the truth is if you could [change past decisions in your life], you wouldn’t be, I guess, as connected with your music.
So, you know, there’s stages of your life. And I understand different stages of everybody’s life; but my music reflects who I am, and what I’ve been through. And as a woman, I have survived — and survival is extremely important for young women today, to know how to take care of yourself. Watch your finances; and don’t leave it up to other people to take good care of your money — then one day you wake up and you’re like, “wait a minute, I’m broke? What do you mean I’m broke?”
Be wise, be smart, but [also] give your heart every chance you get — give your heart because if you stay [too] guarded, you’ll never experience life the way that it’s meant to be experienced.
Ian Saint:
Mmmm. That’s a lot of wisdom to digest, and I really appreciate you sharing that. I’m going to be marinating on that for a while.
Lorrie Morgan:
Thank you, Ian! I appreciate it; you’ve been a great host.
Thank you so much! This has been one of my favorite interviews — you’ve really heightened my interest in country music, I truly mean that. I’d love to further explore your catalog, so I’d like to ask you about your favorite deep cuts. I just interviewed Sara Evans, who plays the Peoples Bank Theatre right before you; she was over the moon that I asked her the same question, and we compiled a whole Spotify playlist.
You’ve had slews of hits, of course — but you have a very rich catalog, and we love to give shine to artists’ most cherished deep cuts. So what are a few album tracks that come to mind, that might not have been released to radio, but they are among your favorite songs in your catalog?
Lorrie Morgan:
Oh, there’s a song called Behind His Last Goodbye [off 1991’s Watch Me album]. A song — that Barry Beckett, I think, produced on the [1988] Leave The Light On album — called Far Side of the Bed. Another one called Back Among the Living, written by one of Nashville’s great songwriters: Skip Ewing. Matter of fact, I’m getting ready to record another Skip Ewing song on the next project that I do with my new producer, Wally Wilson. Back Among the Living is on my [1996] Greater Need album, produced by James Stroud.
God, let’s see, there’s so many album cuts that… I tell people when I’m on stage, “go back and listen to not [just the hit songs that provoked you to buy] the album, but] the whole thing — the better songs were not recorded to be on radio. You had to be radio-friendly on songs you picked to go out to radio; and some of the better songs are the ones that [I] didn’t even pitch to radio. Those are the ones I love to listen to.
Ian Saint:
Awesome! Thanks so much for naming some overlooked gems for us to revisit. And I know you’ve got to jet…
Lorrie Morgan:
Oh my God, that’s so youthful! Oh my God, “I know you’ve gotta jet…” <laugh>
Ian Saint:
<laugh> Well, speaking of transportation modes… I saw an old TV clip of you on your tour bus — I think it was from 2004 — and it had this decadent bathtub onboard. Do you still have that bus with the dreamy bathtub?
Lorrie Morgan:
<laugh> No, I don’t. I got rid of all my busses, and my truck that I had — we’re just cruising around on one bus, saving money. I sold that bus, I don’t know how long ago; but I wish I would have been smarter and leased them for all my career, because the insurance and the repairs on those big buses are astronomical!
Lorrie Morgan performs at the Robins Theatre (160 E. Market St.) on Saturday, August 12. For tickets, and a full list of tour dates, visit her official website: www.lorrie.com.