The more you know about
Sammy Kershaw, the more there is to like about his albums. Though
Kershaw doesn't write his songs, he makes some of the most autobiographical albums to come from Music Row. If you know that
Kershaw quit performing for a year and a half when it threatened his marriage, "Still Lovin' You" assumes greater significance. Even a song as strange as "Queen of My Double Wide Trailer" makes more sense when you learn that
Kershaw still owns a trailer in Louisiana, "in case things don't work out." Sure, he still sounded a lot like
George Jones with a south Louisiana accent. But
Haunted Heart showed that
Kershaw was coming into his own as a vocalist. Just as important, he was choosing songs that set him apart from the pack. If some of those were as offbeat as "Double Wide" and "Neon Leon," well, that's just part of what made him distinctive. ~ Brian Mansfield