Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

Drop Us A Line, Y'all

Y'all interested in advertising, partnering up, contributing stories, joining our team, or just got a question? Well, don't be shy, drop us a line!

Follow Us

Here’s How Sammy Kershaw Reached A Level Of Stardom Others Only Dream Of

Sammy Kershaw Facts
by
  • Arden is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, specializing in classic hits and contemporary chart-toppers.
  • Prior to joining Country Thang Daily, Arden wrote for Billboard and People magazine, covering country music legends and emerging artists.
  • Arden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Tennessee, with a minor in Music Studies.

Born in 1958 in the Acadiana town of Kaplan, located in South Louisiana, Sammy Kershaw indulged himself in music at an early age. He received his first electric guitar from his grandfather when he was only eleven years old. Sadly, his father passed away that same year, and Kershaw had no choice but to be the family’s main breadwinner. 

At the age of 12, Kershaw had to work different day jobs to make ends meet. During the night, the young musician would take his guitar to perform gigs at various honky-tonks and beer joints – where the biggest opportunity of his life came one night.

An Unexpected Meeting Became A Turning Point For Sammy Kershaw

While performing in a roadhouse, then 14-year-old Sammy Kershaw met his lifelong idol, George Jones, who helped him establish the foundation of his career. 

A few months after that unexpected meeting, Kershaw was already opening for country legends like Ray Price, Merle Haggard, and the possum himself. 

While it was a dream come true for the young teen, it inevitably came with the kind of pressures Kershaw would struggle to deal with. Kershaw battled severe drug and alcohol problems that he decided to take a break from the world of music and worked as Wal-Mart’s remodeling supervisor.

But Kershaw’s heart belongs to country music! So, in 1991, he went back to his first love and released his debut album, Don’t Go Near the Water – which produced some of the best Sammy Kershaw songs. Soon enough, Kershaw became the country star we know today. More than twenty of his singles went all the way to the Top 40 on the charts.

Indeed, Kershaw reached a level of fame and prominence others only dream of.

Latest Stories

Carrie Underwood defends her decision during a heartfelt moment on American Idol, advocating for the show's first Easter faith special.

Carrie Underwood Fought for American Idol’s Easter Episode When Others Said It Was “Inappropriate”

For the first time in its 23-season history, American Idol aired a fully faith-based Easter special. It was bold and heartfelt—and according to a report from The Sun, it almost ...

Pope Francis smiles and waves in his traditional white robes during one of his final public appearances before his passing at age 88.

Pope Francis, the First Pope from the Americas, Dies at 88 After Easter Weekend

Just one day after delivering his final Easter address and meeting with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, Pope Francis, the first pope from the Americas and a defining spiritual voice ...

Jelly Roll cracks up alongside Luke Bryan and Jennifer Hudson while sharing a hilariously embarrassing onstage story on The Jennifer Hudson Show.

Jelly Roll Overshared on National TV Telling Jennifer Hudson He Once Pooped His Pants While Performing on Stage

There’s oversharing, and then there’s Jelly Roll on The Jennifer Hudson Show, telling a national audience he once trusted a fart onstage and paid the price. It happened on April ...

Luke Bryan delivers an emotional Easter performance of “Jesus' Bout My Kids” on American Idol, capturing the raw heart of a father’s prayer.

Luke Bryan Sang “Jesus’ Bout My Kids” on Easter and Brought Real Emotion to American Idol

Luke Bryan has spent the last seven seasons of American Idol being the jokester, the crowd-pleaser, the guy who hands out compliments with a grin and a wink. But on ...

Jelly Roll and Brandon Lake perform “Hard Fought Hallelujah” on American Idol’s “Songs of Faith” Easter special, bringing emotion and testimony to the stage.

Jelly Roll and Brandon Lake’s “Hard Fought Hallelujah” on Idol Felt Like a Personal Testimony

Easter Sunday on American Idol brought faith to the forefront, but when Jelly Roll and Brandon Lake took the stage to sing “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” it stopped being a TV ...

Carrie Underwood sings “How Great Thou Art” on Easter Sunday during American Idol’s “Songs of Faith” special, delivering a soul-stirring moment.

Carrie Underwood’s Easter Performance of “How Great Thou Art” Was Nothing Short of Heavenly

Some performances raise goosebumps, and then the rare few feel like they could raise the dead. On Easter Sunday, American Idol turned primetime into sacred time. Carrie Underwood stood in ...

George Strait, Alan Jackson, and Jimmy Buffett light up the stage with a legendary "Margaritaville" performance that became a timeless Texas moment.

Nothing Beats George Strait, Alan Jackson, and Jimmy Buffett Singing “Margaritaville” Together on One Stage

Some nights, something happens on stage that you can’t rehearse, can’t recreate, and definitely can’t plan. In May 2004, three of music’s most iconic voices—George Strait, Alan Jackson, and the ...

Jeannie Seely proudly holds her CMA award, celebrating her triumph with "Don't Touch Me"—a hit she nearly lost to more connected country stars.

Jeannie Seely Almost Lost One of Her Biggest Hits to a Country Singer With Bigger Connections

In Nashville, a great song doesn’t always land in the right hands. Sometimes it gets stolen. Sometimes, it gets buried. And sometimes, if you’re lucky—and tough—it finds its way back ...

Side-by-side of Sutton Foster and Loretta Lynn, highlighting Foster’s casting as the country legend in the new Broadway musical Coal Miner’s Daughter.

Meet the Broadway Star Taking On the Role of Loretta Lynn in Coal Miner’s Daughter Musical

It takes more than a voice to play Loretta Lynn. It takes guts. It takes someone who understands what it means to grow up with nothing, to speak your mind ...

Willie Nelson performs “Georgia on My Mind” live in Macon, Georgia, at age 91, seated with his iconic guitar and red bandana as the crowd rises in reverent applause.

Willie Nelson Sang Georgia on My Mind and the Crowd Gave Him a Standing Ovation

When Willie Nelson took the stage in Macon, Georgia, on April 13, it didn’t feel like another tour stop. It felt like something sacred—something that only happens when a living ...