Sammy Kershaw‘s alleged snubbing by the Country Music Association (CMA) has put a focus on his biggest and best songs. Here are five that every country fan should know.
- Sammy Kershaw is a 68-year-old country singer from Kaplan, La.
- He enjoyed great commercial success in the early to mid 1990s.
- Don’t Go Near the Water (1991) and Haunted Heart (1993) are his two most successful albums.
First, a little background to explain why — quite suddenly — Kershaw is a trending country music topic.
What Happened To Sammy Kershaw?
On Thursday (Nov. 5), Kershaw shared that his request to walk the red carpet at the 2026 CMA Awards had been denied. No reason was provided by the singer and the Country Music Association has not commented. Response from contemporary artists ranged from shock to anger.
Kershaw’s argument is that he deserves the spot. He cites his million of records sold, dozens of hits, a CMA Horizon Award and CMA membership, “… and being asked to donate my time to play CMA Fest, I would hope I’ve earned the opportunity to walk the red carpet alongside my wife, as we’ve done before.”
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Photos from Getty Images show Kershaw and wife Mendy last walking in 2016, although it’s possible he has walked since but was not photographed.
Being denied is “extremely hurtful, embarrassing and very disappointing. I guess the next time I attend the CMAs it will be in tribute after I’m gone, if I’m lucky,” he adds in closing.
The Country Music Association has never publicly shared what qualifies a person to walk the red carpet. Each year, a diverse group of entertainers strut before photographers and media on their way to their seats. Some talk to various outlets about the show or upcoming projects.
Kershaw does not appear to be promoting anything new at the moment.
Sammy Kershaw’s Best Songs
Sammy Kershaw’s career includes one No. 1 hit among 11 that reached Top 10. He’s credited with nearly 50 singles to country radio, the bulk of which dropped between 1991 and 1999.
Sonically, he allows his Louisiana roots to show but rarely strays too far from the mainstream target. “Maybe Not Tonight” with then-wife Lorrie Morgan was Kershaw’s final Top 20 single. Here are five more that country music fans may recognize.
“Queen of My Double Wide Trailer” (1993)
This mid-tempo hit finds the singer working hard to get his girl back from “Earl.” A humorous music video accompanied the song but later it’d gain familiarity for another reason.
Songwriter Dennis Linde would double-down on “Earl” for the Dixie Chicks hit “Goodbye Earl.”
“Cadillac Style” (1991)
Sammy Kershaw first found success with “Cadillac Style,” a twangy country song about a man with no money, very few nice things but a lot of swagger.
“Third Rate Romance” (1994)
If someone wanted to make a case that “Third Rate Romance” is Sammy Kershaw’s best song, we’d listen. The easy-going country romancer is about a one-night stand for all the wrong reasons.
“He said, I’ll even tell you I love you if you want me to,” is a signature line of this sing-along.
“National Working Woman’s Holiday” (1994)
Three Sammy Kershaw songs stopped at No. 2 on the Billboard charts. “National Working Woman’s Holiday” is one of them.
This song is a time capsule in every possible way. It just sounds like what ’90s country music should sound like.
“She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful” (1992)
“She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful” is a great, 90s country love song that still gets radio airplay in 2026. The sound and sentiment are timeless. It’s without a doubt Kershaw’s most popular song and his only No. 1.
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Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
