Lorrie Morgan Observes Anniversary

Lorrie Morgan performs at the "Boot Scootin' Brunch Show" at the Greased Lightning® Daytime Stages at Riverfront Park on Friday, June 8 in Downtown Nashville during the 2007 CMA Music Festival. Photo courtesy of the CMA. Photographer: Theresa Montgomery / CMA.

June 10, 2009 — Lorrie Morgan turned 25 on Tuesday’s Grand Ole Opry: She observed 25 years as a cast member in the longest-running radio show in history.

Lorrie sang three songs with her band, TBA, augmented by the Carol Lee Singers, guitarist Jimmy Capps and fiddler Hoot Hester. She bookended the performance with two of signature hits, "I Didn’t Know My Own Strength" and "I Guess You Had To Be There," singing a new ballad between them. "Mirror, Mirror" is a track from a forthcoming album titled I Walk Alone, with all or most of the songs written by Lorrie.

"If you haven’t taken your anti-depressants yet," she said in introducing it, "now would be a very good time to do that."

The show was also a good time for Opry Vice President & General Manager Pete Fisher to congratulate Lorrie on her anniversary.

"You made your [Opry] debut when you were 13 years old," he told her before addressing the audience. "We often see performers grow up on the Opry stage, and Lorrie not only has grown up on the Opry stage, but she’s also grown up backstage, spending many, many nights here with her father, Grand Ole Opry star and the late Country Music Hall of Famer George Morgan. On behalf of all the Opry stars and staff, we want to congratulate you."

Lorrie shared the moment with plenty of friends and relatives, including her mother, daughter Morgan and son Jesse. And, of course, several thousand fans at the Grand Ole Opry House.

"Thank you so much for bein’ a part of my life and lettin’ me do what I love for a livin’, and that’s singin’ country music," she said.

Others on the bill included Trace Adkins, Carrie Underwood, Little Big Town and Little Jimmy Dickens. Other Opry performances this week will feature Tanya Tucker, Larry Gatlin and Ashton Shepherd on Thursday’s Opry Classics edition; Diamond Rio, Emerson Drive and Collin Raye on Friday; Pam Tillis, Buddy Jewell and the Whites on a Saturday matinee at the Ryman; and Tracy Byrd, Bill Anderson and Charley Pride on Saturday night.