The daughter of singer George Morgan, she made her first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry at age thirteen, performing Marie Osmond's "Paper Roses." Her father died when she was sixteen.
When her father died in 1975, she took over his band and began leading the group through various club gigs. Within a few years she disbanded the group, and in 1977 she went on to play with the Little Roy Wiggins band. She then became a receptionist and demo singer at Acuff-Rose, where she also wrote songs.
In 1978, she had one minor hit single; the following year another minor hit with "I'm Completely Satisfied", an electronically dubbed duet with her late father. She began touring Nashville nightclubs and opened for a number of acts, including Jack Greene, Billy Thunderkloud, and Jeannie Seely. She toured as a duet partner with George Jones and spent two years as part of the Opryland USA bluegrass show and as a regular singer on TNN's Nashville Now.
In 1983, TNN was launched as the first cable network devoted to country music. Morgan was a regular on the show Nashville Now, singing towards the end of each show.
In 1984, Morgan scored a minor hit with "Don't Go Changing". That year she became the youngest singer ever to join the Grand Ole Opry.
In 1988, Morgan was signed with RCA Records, her first major label.
In 1989, Morgan's first album Leave the Light On was released; "Trainwreck of Emotion" became her first Top 20 hit, followed by her first major hit with "Dear Me".
In 1990, Morgan had her first number one single, "Five Minutes". That song was also featured in her album Leave the Light On, which went gold.
In 1991, Morgan's second album Something in Red went platinum. Morgan married her third husband Brad Thompson, bus driver of Clint Black.
In 1992, Morgan's third album Watch Me was released on RCA's newest label, BNA Records, spawning the number one single "What Part of No".
In 1993, Morgan was the first female country artist to have three albums in a row to be certified platinum. Morgan's romantic life gained tabloid attention with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman following her third divorce.
In 1994, Morgan was voted Female Vocalist of the Year by the fans in TNN's Music City News awards. She would earn this honor again in 1996, 1997 and 1998. She also appeared on Frank Sinatra's Duets II album, singing a version of "How Do You Keep the Music Playing" intertwined with Sinatra's "My Funny Valentine".
In 1995, Morgan had another number one song on the Country Charts called "I Didn't Know My Own Strength" from her Greatest Hits CD.
In 1996, Morgan was featured on the Beach Boys' now out-of-print album Stars and Stripes Vol. 1 performing a cover of their 1964 hit "Don't Worry Baby". The Beach Boys provided the harmonies and backing vocals.
Personal life
======================
Morgan is known for her turbulent personal life -- she told Larry King in an interview that "drama is something that lets you know you're still alive." As of 2006, she is married to singer Sammy Kershaw; they were separated at one point but apparently have since reconciled. Kershaw is her fifth husband; she was married to country singer Keith Whitley from 1986 until his death in 1989. They had one child together, a son, Jesse Keith Whitley, born in 1987. She also has a daughter Morgan from her first marriage. Prior to Kershaw she was involved in a lengthy relationship with Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Troy Aikman.
[edit] U.S. Senator Fred Thompson and Lorrie Morgan (1994-1996)
Morgan was also romantically linked from 1994 to 1996 with actor, lobbyist, former U.S. Senator from Tennessee (and former Hendersonville, Tennessee resident), and possible 2008 Republican Presidential candidate Fred Dalton Thompson.
In her book Forever Yours, Faithfully: My Love Story, Morgan states that:
It was great to go out with an older man [Fred Thompson] who was very successful on his own. I felt very secure with him, and he became a wonderful friend, a caring, inspirational man who would encourage me not to doubt myself (which, maybe you can tell by now, is one of my best things).
Fred is an extremely generous man. He wined and dined me and bought me presents --- furs, earrings, Chanel shoes with real high heels.
For a while, I enjoyed my first exposure to politics. It was interesting to hear about political conversations, and people even began talking about Fred as a potential president. It was inevitable that I would be sitting at a glamorous party and would have the flickering thought, So, this is what it's like to be a First Lady. Hell, I could handle that. Then I would say, "Oops, better drop the 'hell'"
I put myself to the task of being a great companion to a stimulating and important man, and as a result I become boring. I lost my spunk, my spontaneity, I had to stop and think about the political implications of everything before I uttered a word in public. Was this a Democratic issue? Was this a Republican issue? I could not trust my best asset, my gut instincts. In other words, I could not be myself.
Fred let me know that it was important how I dressed. Sedate was in. Even if I felt like a little flair that night, forget it --- we might be with men who had big wallets and insecure wives, wives who were a little older than I was. So get that basic black dress out of the closet. And no cleavage, baby.
Fred's senator buddies loved me, and some of my friends said that they never seen me happier. For a while, I wanted to marry Fred, but I knew he could not accept me as I am.
Forever Yours, Faithfully: My Love Story. pp. 262-263. Lorrie Morgan with George Vecsey. 1997. Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-345-41297-4
The Sad Cafe
Lorrie Morgan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The tracks that ran down the boulevard had all been washed away
Out of the silver light, the past came softly calling
And I remember the times we spent inside the Sad Cafe
Oh, it seemed like a holy place, protected by amazing grace
And we would sing right out loud, the things we could not say
We thought we could change this world with words like "love" and "freedom"
We were part of the lonely crowd Inside the Sad Cafe
Some of their dreams came true, some just passed away
And some of the stayed behind inside the Sad Cafe.
The clouds rolled in and hid that shore
Now that Glory Train, it don't stop here no more
Now I look at the years gone by, and wonder at the powers that be.
I don't know why fortune smiles on some and let's the rest go free
Maybe the time has drawn the faces I recall
But things in this life change very slowly, if they ever change at all
There's no use in asking why, it just turned out that way
So meet me at midnight baby inside the Sad Cafe.
Why don't you meet me at midnight baby, inside the Sad Cafe.
The song "The Sad Cafe" by Lorrie Morgan is about memories and reflections of the past. It's about a place where the singer and her friends used to hang out, which was called The Sad Cafe. The place seemed like a holy place, where they felt protected by amazing grace. They would sing out loud the things they could not say and thought they could change the world with words like "love" and "freedom." They were part of a lonely crowd at The Sad Cafe. They thought they would meet on the shore in the sweet by and by, but their dreams and lives went in different directions. Some of their dreams came true, some just passed away, and some of their friends stayed behind at The Sad Cafe.
The song also talks about the changes that happen over time. The clouds rolled in and hid that shore, and the Glory Train doesn't stop there anymore. The years have gone by, and the singer wonders about the powers that be, and why fortune smiles on some and lets the rest go free. Despite the changes, the singer still wants to meet someone at midnight inside The Sad Cafe, which represents a place of safety, comfort, and familiarity.
Overall, the song is about losing touch with a place, a group of friends, and dreams. It's about getting lost in the changes of life and longing for something familiar. It's about the innocence of youth and how, despite the passage of time and changes in life, some things never change.
Line by Line Meaning
Out in the shiny night, the rain was softly falling
In a beautiful and bright night, the rain was drizzling gently
The tracks that ran down the boulevard had all been washed away
All the marks on the street have been lost due to heavy rains
Out of the silver light, the past came softly calling
From the bright shining light, memories of the past were gently reminding me
And I remember the times we spent inside the Sad Cafe
I recollect the moments we spent in the Sad Cafe
Oh, it seemed like a holy place, protected by amazing grace
The Sad Cafe felt like a sacred haven that was guarded by a divine power
And we would sing right out loud, the things we could not say
We would express loudly, the emotions we were unable to express in any other way
We thought we could change this world with words like “love” and “freedom”
We held the belief that we could make a difference in this world by promoting the virtues of love and freedom
We were part of the lonely crowd Inside the Sad Cafe
We were members of the desolate gathering within the premises of the Sad Cafe
Oh, expecting to fly, we would meet on that shore in the sweet by and by
Owing to the anticipation of soaring, we used to meet on the shore in the future
Some of their dreams came true, some just passed away
While few individuals' aspirations turned fruitful, some faded away
And some of them stayed behind inside the Sad Cafe.
And some dreams of the individuals could never take flight and remained inside the Sad Cafe
The clouds rolled in and hid that shore
The clouds came over and concealed the shore we used to meet at
Now that Glory Train, it don’t stop here no more
Currently, even the prestigious and fortunate individuals aren't present here anymore
Now I look at the years gone by, and wonder at the powers that be.
Now, as I recollect the past years, I contemplate the forces at work
I don’t know why fortune smiles on some and lets the rest go free
I am perplexed about the reason for providence favoring some while leaving the rest behind
Maybe the time has drawn the faces I recall
Probably the course of time has altered the countenances of the people I remember
But things in this life change very slowly, if they ever change at all
But transformations occur very gradually, or they never happen at all
There’s no use in asking why, it just turned out that way
There's no point in questioning the cause, it merely happened without any clear explanation
So meet me at midnight baby inside the Sad Cafe.
Therefore, let's rendezvous in the Sad Cafe at midnight, my dear
Why don’t you meet me at midnight baby, inside the Sad Cafe.
Would you like to meet me at midnight in the Sad Cafe, darling?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Cass County Music / Wisteria Music / Privet Music, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, Red Cloud Music, Spirit Music Group
Written by: GLENN FREY, DON HENLEY, JOHN DAVID SOUTHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kayrowe5658
Only time in history someone sang and Eagles song better than the Eagles. Would have loved to hear her sing this with them! Miss her singing...wish she hadn't gone to a dark place.
@buddykennedy1293
She owns this song!
@keithwilliams313
wish that we could see her singing this song live
@fadenomore
Best cover of an Eagles song.
@ken40356
I agree. She did an outstanding job performing this song.
@ANSELMO19661
beautiful voice, great performance...
@cglai2006
the best in the common thread, only years after, some 18 years only i realised it was done by lorrie morgan (i had the cd since it was issued). everyone should listen to her singing the song "don't worry baby" in the album honoring the beachboys. search the youtube. no one can do it better than lorrie in both songs, very original...
@MrCoanta069
i agree with you, man! sound excelent!
@andreansarah12
The only song that she rocked!!!!
@neikei63
great ....missed the sax outro