Kershaw tried to enter politics, running as a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor of Louisiana in 2007 and 2010. In 2007 he finished third in the jungle primary, but Democrat Mitch Landrieu won strongly in the general election. In 2010 he carried more parishes than any other candidate, but placed third. He endorsed Republican Jay Dardenne, Secretary of State, for the position, who won the general election.
Early life and career
Samuel Paul Cashat was born in the Acadiana town of Kaplan, located in South Louisiana. He is the third cousin of singers Rusty and Doug Kershaw.[3] When he was 11, his grandfather gave him his first guitar. But his father died that year, so Sammy started to work a variety of day jobs while playing roadhouses at night to support his family. He began performing in Acadiana with Louisiana legend J.B. Pere. At the age of 12, Kershaw was playing in a variety of honky-tonks and beer joints, and when he was 14 he met George Jones, his lifelong idol.[4] Subsequently, he opened shows for Ray Price, Merle Haggard, and George Jones while still barely into his teens. When the pressures of growing up fast took their toll in the form of a serious drug and alcohol problem, he quit his bad habits in 1988. He took a break from the music world to work as a remodeling supervisor at Wal-Mart.
Musical career
One of Kershaw's demonstration tapes made its way to Mercury Records, which released his debut album Don't Go Near the Water in 1991. This album was certified platinum by the RIAA, and it produced four hit singles. The lead-off, "Cadillac Style", went to No.3 in late 1991 and early 1992, followed by the title track at No.12, "Yard Sale" at No.17, and "Anywhere but Here" at No.10. Kershaw was initially reluctant to release "Cadillac Style" because he felt that it was not suitable for his style; however, his co-producer, Buddy Cannon, convinced him to give the song a chance. Kershaw's often honky-tonk material and singing voice led to critical comparisons to George Jones, and he covered one of Jones's early singles, "What Am I Worth", on his debut as well.
Kershaw's second album, Haunted Heart, followed in 1993. Its lead-off single, "She Don't Know She's Beautiful", became his only Number One hit, in April of that year. Following it were the title track, the Dennis Linde–penned "Queen of My Double-Wide Trailer", and "I Can't Reach Her Anymore", all of which hit the Top 10 as well. Although Kershaw had been told by others that radio audiences might not identify with the subject matter on "Queen of My Double-Wide Trailer", Kershaw wanted to release the song because he had an experience similar to its story line. Like his debut, Haunted Heart was a platinum album.[3] In mid-1994, Kershaw also covered the Lynyrd Skynyrd song "I Know a Little" on the tribute album Skynyrd Frynds, which included country music covers of Skynyrd songs. Also in 1994, Kershaw contributed the song "Fire and Rain" to the AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Country, produced by the Red Hot Organization.
Feelin' Good Train was Kershaw's third album, released later in 1994. This album also produced four hits, including two consecutive No.2's in "National Working Woman's Holiday" and "Third Rate Romance" (the latter a cover of the Amazing Rhythm Aces hit from 1975),[3] with the No.27 "Southbound" and No.18 "If You're Gonna Walk, I'm Gonna Crawl" following in 1995. The album included a duet with George Jones on "Never Bit a Bullet Like This", which had previously been released on Jones's 1993 album High-Tech Redneck. Feelin' Good Train was certified gold. It was followed by a Christmas album, Christmas Time's A-Comin', and Kershaw's first greatest-hits package, Greatest Hits, Volume 1, both in 1995. The latter produced a No.47 single in "Your Tattoo" (written by Kostas and Jack Tempchin), the first single of Kershaw's career not to reach the Top 40.
Mid-late 1990s
Kershaw's fourth studio album, the gold-certified Politics, Religion and Her, was issued in 1996. It produced Top 10 hits in "Meant to Be" and "Vidalia", the latter of which Kershaw also considered a risky song, saying, "If radio will play this one more than twice—so people can get the story and learn what a Vidalia onion is—it'll be a smash." These songs were followed by "Fit to Be Tied Down" and the title track, both of which hit the Top 30. Also included on Politics, Religion and Her were covers of Chuck Berry's "Memphis, Tennessee" and Sammy Johns' "Chevy Van". The same year, Kershaw briefly took ownership of a NASCAR Busch series team (now Xfinity Series).
Labor of Love was issued later in 1997 as his fifth album. Unlike his previous albums, this one was predominantly composed of ballads.[3] It produced a No.2 (and final US Top 10 hit) in "Love of My Life", and although none of the other three singles ("Matches", "Honky Tonk America" and "One Day Left to Live") reached higher than No.22, the album was nonetheless certified platinum. His next album, Maybe Not Tonight, brought a Top 20 duet with Lorrie Morgan.[3]
Kershaw stated that he enjoyed working with Morgan on the song, telling Country Weekly magazine, "I knew our vocals would match up… Plus, we have fun together. We're friends and we have been friends for a long time." "Maybe Not Tonight" was commercially less successful than its predecessors, however, and it became the first album of Kershaw's career not to achieve an RIAA certification. Following "Maybe Not Tonight" were the singles "When You Love Someone" and "Me and Maxine", both of which peaked in the thirties. "Louisiana Hot Sauce", the final release from Maybe Not Tonight, was also the first single of his career not to enter the charts.
In 2000, Kershaw released an album of cover songs, Covers the Hits. This album comprised 10 cover songs that Kershaw had recorded in his career. Some of the songs on it, such as the single "Third Rate Romance", were previously found on Kershaw's studio albums, while others came from various tribute albums (such as Skynyrd Frynds) to which he had contributed. Covers the Hits also included a rendition of Dr. Hook's "Little Bit More", a previously unreleased cover which Kershaw had recorded during the sessions for Labor of Love.
2000s
By 2001, Kershaw and Morgan had married. The two recorded a vocal duet album in 2001 entitled I Finally Found Someone (the title track being a cover of the Barbra Streisand/Bryan Adams duet). This album was less successful commercially, with its only Top 40 hit being the No. 39 "He Drinks Tequila". Shortly afterward, a second 'greatest hits' package was released, and Kershaw left Mercury's roster.
In 2003, Kershaw signed to Audium Entertainment to release the album I Want My Money Back.[3] This album produced a No. 33-peaking in its title track, but the second single "I've Never Been Anywhere" fell short of the Top 40. The third and final single, "Beer, Bait & Ammo" (which failed to chart), was previously recorded and written by Kevin Fowler on his 2000 debut album of the same name, and would later be recorded by Mark Chesnutt on his 2004 album Savin' the Honky Tonk.
After Audium closed its Nashville division, Kershaw signed to Category 5 Records, then a newly established independent label, in 2006. His first release for the label and first chart single in three years, "Tennessee Girl", fell three spaces short of the Top 40 that year. It was the first release from his 2006 album Honky Tonk Boots. The album's only other single, a cover of Mel McDaniel's Number One hit "Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On", failed to chart, and financial difficulties caused the label to close in 2007.
In 2008, Sammy Kershaw was inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in honor of his career achievements and was also inducted into the Louisiana Songwriters Association Hall Of Fame in 2010.
Kershaw's first single in two years, "Real People", was released in late 2008 in the Boomerville/Big Hit label. However, the single failed to chart. His tenth studio album, Better Than I Used to Be, was released on August 31, 2010.
Political activity
Kershaw had become increasingly interested in politics. On June 13, 2007, he announced his candidacy for lieutenant governor of Louisiana in the October 20 jungle primary. The position was held by the incumbent Democrat, Mitch Landrieu. Kershaw also faced a second Republican candidate, State Representative Gary Beard of Baton Rouge, an engineer first elected to the State House in a 2001 special election. Kershaw finished second with 30 percent of the vote, but Landrieu won re-election with a majority on the first ballot.
Watching his state embroiled in the Gulf Oil Spill in April 2010, Kershaw, a Lafayette resident, became the official spokesperson for Protect Our Coastline, a non-profit dedicated to providing relief to the fishermen and shrimpers affected most by the spill.
On August 28, 2010, Kershaw announced his second bid for lieutenant governor in the October 2 special election to replace Mitch Landrieu, who left office in May after being elected mayor of New Orleans. Kershaw's intraparty rivals included state Republican chair Roger F. Villere Jr. of Metairie, St. Tammany Parish president Kevin Davis of Slidell, and Secretary of State Jay Dardenne of Baton Rouge. Kershaw polled 19 percent and carried 31 of the 64 parishes (more than any other candidate).[5] But he finished third in overall votes behind Dardenne and Democrat Caroline Fayard. Kershaw endorsed fellow Republican Dardenne in the runoff election,[6] joining him at campaign events, and giving Dardenne a "bear hug" at his victory celebration.[7]
In the 2011 race for lieutenant governor, Kershaw endorsed Dardenne's opponent, fellow Republican Billy Nungesser. Dardenne ultimately defeated Nungesser 53%-47%.[8]
2010s
Kershaw continues touring throughout the year with his band, as well as performances with his often sold-out acoustic "Roots and Boots" tour, which has featured himself onstage with other artists including Aaron Tippin, Joe Diffie, Pam Tillis, Darryl Worley and Collin Raye.
Sammy Kershaw live in concert, with band members Steve Farmer (piano) and Robert Wright (bass guitar), Norway, Michigan - July 3, 2016
Kevin Fowler is an American singer-songwriter. He has released five studio albums, and has charted four singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including the top 40 hit "Pound Sign (#?*!)". In addition, he wrote Sammy Kershaw's 2003 single "Beer, Bait & Ammo", Mark Chesnutt's 2004 single "The Lord Loves the Drinkin' Man" and Montgomery Gentry's 2009 single "Long Line of Losers".
"Honky Tonk Women" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. It was released as a non-album single on 4 July 1969 in the United Kingdom, and a week later in the United States. It topped the charts in both nations. The song was on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list, and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Street Survivors is the fifth studio album by the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, released on October 17, 1977. The LP is the last Skynyrd album recorded by original members Ronnie Van Zant and Allen Collins, and is the sole Skynyrd studio recording by guitarist Steve Gaines. Three days after the album's release, the band's chartered airplane crashed en route to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, killing the pilot, co-pilot, the group's assistant road-manager and three band members, and severely injuring most who survived the crash.
John Leigh "Jay" Dardenne, Jr. is an American lawyer and politician from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who served as commissioner of administration for Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards. A Republican, Dardenne previously served as the 53rd lieutenant governor of his state from 2010 to 2016. Running as a Republican, he won a special election for lieutenant governor held in conjunction with the regular November 2, 2010 general election. At the time, Dardenne was Louisiana secretary of state. Formerly, Dardenne was a member of the Louisiana State Senate for the Baton Rouge suburbs, a position he filled from 1992 until his election as secretary of state on September 30, 2006.
High-Tech Redneck is an album by American country music singer George Jones. It was released in 1993 on the MCA Nashville Records label and went Gold in 1994.
Mark Nelson Chesnutt is an American country music singer and songwriter. Between 1990 and 1999, he had his greatest chart success recording for Universal Music Group Nashville's MCA and Decca branches, with a total of eight albums between those two labels. During this timespan, Chesnutt also charted twenty top-ten hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, of which eight reached number one: "Brother Jukebox", "I'll Think of Something", "It Sure Is Monday", "Almost Goodbye", "I Just Wanted You to Know", "Gonna Get a Life", "It's a Little Too Late", and a cover of Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing". His first three albums for MCA along with a 1996 Greatest Hits package issued on Decca are all certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA); 1994's What a Way to Live, also issued on Decca, is certified gold. After a self-titled album in 2002 on Columbia Records, Chesnutt has continued to record predominantly on independent labels.
Songs About Me is the sixth studio album by American country music artist Trace Adkins. It was released on March 22, 2005, via Capitol Records Nashville. His highest-selling album to date, it has been certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA and had sold 1.5 million copies. Singles from this album include the title track, "Arlington", and "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk". The title track and "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk" both went to No.2 and "Arlington" went to No.16 on the U.S. BillboardHot Country Songs charts. "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk" was also a Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and Pop 100 charts as well.
Grand Ole Opry's New Star is the debut studio album released by George Jones in November 1956 with Starday Records. Produced by Jones' manager Pappy Daily, the album was recorded during early sessions in 1954, throughout 1955, and other sessions in 1956. It is also the first album to be released on the Starday label, a label only four years old.
Skynyrd Frynds is a tribute album to the American Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, released in 1994 on MCA Records. It features cover versions of ten Lynyrd Skynyrd songs, as performed by various country music artists. The album reached #8 on Top Country Albums upon its release. The album was executive produced by Gary Rossington.
"Honky-Tonk Man" is a song co-written and recorded by American singer Johnny Horton. It was released in March 1956 as his debut single on Columbia Records, and the album of the same name reaching number 9 on the U.S. country singles charts. Horton re-released the song six years later, taking it to number 11 on the same chart.
"Why Baby Why" is a country music song co-written and originally recorded by George Jones. Released in late 1955 on Starday Records and produced by Starday co-founder and Jones' manager Pappy Daily, it peaked at 4 on the Billboard country charts that year. It was Jones' first chart single, following several unsuccessful singles released during the prior year on Starday.
Labor of Love is the fifth studio album by the American country music artist Sammy Kershaw. It was released in 1997 on Mercury Records. It was his third album to achieve RIAA platinum certification and his highest-charting album on the Top Country Albums charts, where it peaked at #5.
Maybe Not Tonight is the sixth studio album by American country music artist Sammy Kershaw. It was released in 1999 on Mercury Records. The first album of his career not to achieve an RIAA certification, it also failed to produce any Top Ten country hits. The lead-off single, which was the title track duet with Lorrie Morgan reached #17 on the country charts. This song was concurrently promoted by Mercury and BNA Records, Morgan's label. Following it were "When You Love Someone" at #37 and "Me and Maxine" at #35. "Louisiana Hot Sauce", the fourth and final single, failed to chart. Also included is a cover of Bobby Vee's "More Than I Can Say", which water later a #2 pop hit for Leo Sayer in 1980. In addition, "How Much Does the World Weigh" was later recorded by Tracy Byrd on his 2001 album Ten Rounds. Maybe Not Tonight was also Kershaw's last studio album for Mercury. After it was released, Mercury issued an album of cover songs and a second greatest hits compilation before he exited the label.
I Want My Money Back is the eighth studio album by American country music artist Sammy Kershaw, released on March 25, 2003. His first album for Audium/Koch Entertainment, it produced two singles on the Billboard country charts: the title track at #33 and "I've Never Been Anywhere" at #58.
Honky Tonk Boots is an album released in 2006 by American country music artist Sammy Kershaw. His only release for the Category 5 Records album, it was also his first studio release since 2003's I Want My Money Back. The album's lead-off single, "Tennessee Girl", peaked at number 43 on the Billboard country charts in 2006. Honky Tonk Boots also reunited him with producers Buddy Cannon and Norro Wilson, who co-produced his first four albums.
"Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On" is a song written by Bob McDill and recorded by American country music artist Mel McDaniel. It was released in October 1984 as the lead-off single from his album Let It Roll. It was a number-one hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in February 1985, and Mel McDaniel's only number-one single.
"She Thinks I Still Care" is a country song written by Dickey Lee and Steve Duffy. The song was recorded by multiple artists, including George Jones, Connie Francis, Anne Murray, Elvis Presley and Patty Loveless.
"Vidalia" is a song written by Tim Nichols and Mark D. Sanders, and recorded by American country music artist Sammy Kershaw. It was released in July 1996 as the second single from the album Politics, Religion and Her. The song reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
Dudley Anthony Gautreaux, known as Butch Gautreaux was an American politician who served as a Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate from Morgan City, Louisiana. From 2000 to 2012, he represented Senate District 21. In 2012, the reconfigured district incorporated mostly Republican portions of Iberia, Lafourche, St. Mary, and Lafourche parishes.
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