Lorrie Morgan Loses Her Guilt, Discovers Her ‘Moment’

Years ago, when Lorrie Morgan would go out on the road, she would drag along her very heavy mother's heart. That was when her kids -- daughter, Morgan and son, Jesse Keith -- were youngsters. Today, they're grown -- daughter, Morgan is 28, just starting nursing school. Son, Jesse Keith (with Keith Whitley) is 22, and has just launched a singing career of his own.

"It used to be when I'd go on the road, my heart would just break," Lorrie tells CMT. "I would think, 'Oh, I need to be going to their basketball games ... I need to be doing something with my kids.' Of course, I didn't have a choice. I had to go. That's how I made my living."

Just a few years ago, Lorrie was offered the starring role in a Broadway revival of 'Calamity Jane.' "But it came at a really bad time in my life," she says, "and I had to pass on it."

But times are different, now that her kids are grown. And next March, Lorrie looks forward to beginning rehearsals for the Broadway production of 'Pure Country,' a spin-off of the 1992 movie. In the stage version, Lorrie will play the scheming manager to Joe Nichols' role of Dusty, played in the film by George Strait. Lorrie's part calls for her to sing four or five songs.

"I am so excited [about the play]," Lorrie enthuses. "It's going to be another stretch for me. But you know, I get bored easily. This is something that's come at a great time in my life. My kids are grown and off doing their own thing. I don't have that motherly guilt."

Something else that has come at a perfect time for Lorrie are two new albums. Her latest, 'A Moment in Time,' is a stardusted collection of 14 classic country and pop standards, recorded live to track, with no overdubs.

"That's with the strings, the background vocals and all the musicians," Lorrie notes. "Nobody was in a booth ... we were all in the big room together, just like they did when my dad [late Opry star George Morgan] recorded. We did 14 songs in two days.

"I love music from yesterday," she sighs. "Whether it's country, whether it's pop or that jazzy stuff ... it makes me feel like life is still easy and slow. I think I missed my era -- back in the good old days, when Frank [Sinatra] and Dean [Martin] and those guys would walk in these clubs, and just get up and sing, and fly from the seat of their pants. I think I've just missed my calling."

But Lorrie didn't miss the calling for her next album, the soon-to-be-released 'I Walk Alone,' which she's been writing for the past couple of years.

"It took almost two years for me to write the album," she says. "It's kind of like the soundtrack of my life. It's a very raw album. We didn't do a lot of bells and whistles with it. We wrote it in blood. It was great therapy for me."

Being at the right place in her life has given Lorrie the perfect opportunity to focus on her upcoming Broadway role and new music.

"Now I can dedicate this time, and really try and perfect this character that I'm going to play [in 'Pure Country']. I can really take some time for Lorrie."