Sammy Kershaw

Samuel Paul Cashat (born February 24, 1958), known professionally as Sammy Kershaw, is an American country music artist.

He has released 16 studio albums, with three RIAA platinum certifications and two gold certifications among them.

More than 25 singles have entered the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including his only number one hit "She Don't Know She's Beautiful" and 10 more Top 10 hits: "Cadillac Style", "Anywhere but Here", "Haunted Heart", "Queen of My Double-Wide Trailer", "I Can't Reach Her Anymore", "National Working Woman's Holiday", "Third Rate Romance", "Meant to Be", "Vidalia", and "Love of My Life".

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), with the No. 27 "Southbound" and No. 18 "If You're Gonna Walk, I'm Gonna Crawl" following in 1995.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Subsequently, he opened shows for Ray Price, Merle Haggard, and George Jones while still barely into his teens.