A common misnomer for Lorrie Morgan, who was named Loretta Lynn Morgan, is that she was destined to become a country singer because the “Coalminer’s Daughter” inspired her parents.
“The name is actually a coincidence,” Morgan said via email from her Nashville home. “I was born in 1959 and Loretta Lynn really didn’t come to national attention until the next year… The destiny for me, however, was being the daughter of George Morgan and being introduced to the Grand Ole Opry as a young girl. The Opry is truly my second home, no matter where I hang my hat.”
Morgan, 64, will celebrate her 40th anniversary as an Opry member in June. “So we’re calling this year my Ruby Anniversary,” Morgan said. “Bless their hearts, the good folks at the Opry make such a celebration of these milestones and there will be a special event on June 8 this year.”
Morgan, who will perform Thursday, May 2, at the Fox Tucson Theatre, deserves the fanfare because she has an enviable career. The charismatic singer, who possesses a dramatic voice, has three No. 1 singles, “Five Minutes,” “What Part of No” and “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength” and 11 additional top-10 hits. Morgan has a tough time every night writing a set list.
“There are the must-haves, the hits, the ones people really love and expect to hear, and I love those songs,” Morgan said.
Many of Morgan’s tunes have a traditional vibe and that’s due to growing up with her father, the aforementioned Country Music Hall of Famer George Morgan’s music from the ’40s. “Those songs still mean everything to me,” Morgan said. “My dad’s music and the music he loved are part of the fabric of who I am. Early in my career, I had a lot of urging from management or labels to distance myself from the traditional artists, and from the Opry and I refused. I don’t know, maybe I could’ve had a ‘bigger’ career but I just have always stayed true to my roots. Those are great, great songs, and of course, they make me feel close to my dad.”
Morgan’s stories are as compelling as her songs. The Nashville native has wild tales from the road. “There are times when I was touring with George Jones and he offered everyone cocaine as a Christmas gift,” Morgan recalled. “I refused and told him that I wanted a ‘real Christmas gift’ and the next day, the bus stopped in some town or other and George let me pick out two beautiful pairs of boots. The rest of the band was pretty ticked off, but they were happy to put their gift up their noses!”
Co-headlining with Morgan’s close friend, Pam Tillis, is filled with light moments. “Touring with Pam is always filled with laughter,” Morgan said. “She’s become such a trusted friend and our work and play is just so easy. Sometimes we’ll walk onstage in these outrageous, oversized Dolly-on-steroids wigs and just act like nothing is unusual or one of us will come out in a hot dog suit just to flummox the other one.”
Morgan has worked with some of the most legendary recording artists in the business and still has a hard time wrapping her head around those surreal experiences. “Being included on Frank Sinatra’s duet album (1994’s ‘Duets II’) was more than a dream come true,” Morgan said. “I mean, who could even dream that? Dolly (Parton) is nothing short of an icon, but that girl is a pro. She is one of the smartest businesswomen I’ve ever known in addition to being an unparalleled entertainer. I had so much fun with The Beach Boys. I got to perform with them again in early 2023 when they made their Grand Ole Opry debut.”
The highs have been extraordinary for Morgan but there has been an unfortunate balance.
Morgan has suffered through four divorces and the death of her gifted husband, singer-songwriter Keith Whitley, who succumbed to alcohol poisoning in 1989,
“I’ll go to my own grave wondering what I may have done differently to save Keith,” Morgan said. “I regret the loss of a partner, my children’s loss of a parent and the world’s loss of a man who may well have been the greatest country singer of all time, with all due respect to George Jones. Addiction is a horrible, relentless monster and although I know that recovery has to start with the addict. I’ll always have that nagging pain about not being able to heal or save Keith.”
Morgan has always been able to bounce back. “You know that old saying, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Well, I’m ready to be a little less strong. I think you bounce back for a variety of reasons. Past survival is only part of it. There is a resilience that is just part of us. I think I was blessed to have great parents and loving, supportive siblings. Coming from a strong, positive family and having a good sense of humor provides a powerful foundation for grit.”
Expect a healthy number of love songs from Morgan when she performs at the Fox. The sentimental songs stand out in an era of songs inspired by conspicuous consumption. However, Morgan said she believes folks gravitate toward moving songs since all we need is love. “Love and connection are essential to us,” Morgan said. “There may be times when the focus is somewhere else but we all come back around to loving and losing and loving again. I think the changes in how women view themselves and are viewed have contributed to a greater variety of songs, not necessarily less love songs but the addition of power songs with sentiments about being strong on your own…The narrative of country music makes it ideal for romance. Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood had ‘If I Didn’t Love You’ a couple of years ago. ‘The Kind of Love We Make’ from Luke Combs is pretty recent and a great love song. They’re still out there, those love songs.’
Morgan continues to make new albums. Her latest, “Dead Girl Walking” will be showcased at the Fox. “There has always (been) another song to sing,” Morgan said. “It really is just who I am.”
If Morgan didn’t become a singer, she considered being an educator. “I thought about being a teacher when I was young but I hated school,” Morgan said. “I was a horrible student!”
There’s not much left for Morgan to accomplish but she thinks about potential duets. “There are some collaborations I’d welcome,” Morgan said. “I know this will shock some people but I did post an invitation to Beyonce to join me at the Opry even before Dolly sent out her welcome to Queen B.”
For many recording artists, touring is a blur but Morgan recalled her experiences in Tucson, going back to her initial experience more than 40 years ago. “I’ll always remember my first visit to Tucson,” Morgan said. “It was so, so hot! I thought it was interesting that the stores simply didn’t open as early as other cities, but then would be open late because of the heat! I love the desert. Whenever I visit the Southwest, it’s so great for recharging. I just wish I could stay longer in certain places, and Tucson is on that list but it’s always on to another show!”
This article appears in Apr 25 – May 2, 2024.