Lorrie Morgan: Strictly country

April 12, 1999
Web posted at: 12:37 p.m. EDT (1637 GMT)

By Mary Jo DiLonardo
Special to CNN Interactive

(CNN) -- Not that she tries that much, but Lorrie Morgan could never go pop. Two things keep her firmly entrenched in country music: her roots and her distinctive guttural twang.

In a Nashville where bared midriffs and electric guitar riffs are more common than Dobro and big hair, Morgan stays true to her history. Her father, after all, was George Morgan, a mainstay at the Grand Ole Opry. Lorrie grew up backstage at the Opry, making her debut there at age 13. Her first husband was mournful country singer Keith Whitley, who died in 1989 of alcohol poisoning while on the road.

That said, Morgan doesn't stick to classic tears-in-my-beer fare. On her newest release, she offers a mix of power ballads and upbeat numbers, all stamped with her trademark "been there, done that" emotional delivery.

The album comes out of the box kicking with the spirited, light-hearted "Things We Do," featuring the background vocals of Jo Dee Messina, a member of Nashville's current stable of hot singers.

MULTIMEDIA

"The Things We Do" [205k MPEG-3] or [280k WAV] "Maybe Not Tonight" [210k MPEG-3] or [290k WAV] "My Heart" [200k MPEG-3] or [270k WAV] "On This Bed" [220k MPEG-3] or [300k WAV] (Courtesy BNA Records)

But then the big ballads start. "Where Does That Leave Me" could be a lament to Whitley. Morgan sings soulfully to a lost love, "I know God needed you, but not more than I do."

Morgan joins forces with Sammy Kershaw, the bayou's favorite country son, for "Maybe Not Tonight." The duet -- a tale of lovers not yet willing to end a doomed relationship -- is the first single from the album. It's also the title song of Kershaw's new album, released on the same day as this disc (April 13). This is Morgan and Kershaw's second collaboration, the first being the modestly successful "A Good Year for the Roses."

One of the strongest singles on "My Heart" is the Kim Richey-penned "Here I Go Again." The bouncy, upbeat number is one of those turn-it-up-and-drive-fast songs, perfect for summer radio airplay.

Other highlights include the soulful "Between Midnight and Tomorrow." It offers a traditional country sound and a classic country theme -- a woman who deals with her man after many nights of drinking.

But in a break with her country mold, Morgan growls her way through a cover of rocker Bryan Adams' "The Only Thing That Looks Good on Me Is You." It just doesn't work. It simply sounds like a country singer trying to sing a rock song. Morgan is so much more believable on authentic country numbers.

The disc's final cuts are the title song, a lighthearted ditty with fun references to everything from Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner to Elvis and Diet Coke. The disc ends with "On This Bed," an emotional ballad written by Morgan's husband since 1996, country singer Jon Randall.

Overall, Morgan has stayed true to her roots with this compilation. She'll never leap onto the pop charts à la Shania Twain. But she offers more substance and more soul -- two things that should keep her firmly planted in the Nashville scene.