From Family Tragedy to Happily Ever After
With the voice of an angel and the sass of a girl raised in the south, country singer-songwriter Shelby Morgan has grown into a captivating performer.
Her latest album Bird in a Blizzard contains songs with chill-inducing lyrics alluding to the crazed fan who stalked and ultimately abducted her while out on tour with Dawson Roads.
In what many described as a shocking resilience, after her rescue, Shelby returned to the tour, completed all the dates, and immediately hunkered down in the studio to record her first full-length album for Dawson Roads’ new independent label, picking up a CMA for best new female artist along the way.
Shelby says she had many people who helped her through the dark time after the kidnapping, but credits one person in particular for protecting her.
White Knight, the song that starts off with the cutesy, seemingly silly first line ‘Sometimes your white knight rides a Harley,’ is based on the true story of how she met her now fiancé.
While that episode of Shelby’s life had a happy for now ending, her greater journey has been punctuated by the highest of highs and lowest of lows.
“We’re engaged.” Shelby proudly shows off a gorgeous moonstone engagement ring as soon as we sit down to chat about music, marriage, and murder.
“Dang, that’s tacky,” I mutter. My stomach clenches with anxiety as I continue reading.
She wouldn’t elaborate on the proposal. “Some details need to remain private,” she told us in her demure dulcet voice. “Logan surprised me. It was unexpected and extremely romantic,” she stated, placing her hand on his leg and staring at him with adoring eyes.
The adoration is mutual. Logan rarely takes his eyes off Shelby. Sitting in the same room with them, leaves one wondering if you’ve suddenly gone invisible. There are frequent spells when no one else seems to be present in their universe.
For those curious about the man who’s captured the southern songbird’s heart, Logan, aka White Knight, remains a bit of a mystery.
“He didn’t choose this career. I did. It’s not fair to thrust him into a spotlight he didn’t ask for.”
CMA’s most recent best new female artist carries herself with a natural grace and elegance, almost as if she grew up winning beauty pageants and wearing tiaras. However, as she isn’t shy about admitting, that’s not her story.
After losing her little sister to cancer at a young age, Shelby’s parents divorced. With her father out of the picture, Shelby’s mother worked hard to provide for her daughter and help her make her dreams come true.
“I watched my momma work long hours waitin’ tables to keep a roof over our heads and food on our table. And that taught me the value of hard work.”
Indeed, Shelby and her mother are quite close.
“I’d never lived on my own until I left for Redneck Roadhouse. And then to tour with Dawson,” she admits with a charming laugh.
Glow: Who’s your favorite country singer?
“Well, Dolly Parton is my idol. Ever since I was a little girl. Dawson Roads made a big impression on me when I was younger. So touring with him and learning from him has been an incredible gift.”
Glow: No tawdry tales from the road about Mr. Roads to share?
“Gosh, no.” Shelby scowls at the question. Rumors that the two have become good friends are apparently true.
How does her White Knight feel about her friendship with the country music’s sexiest heart throb?
“Dawson and I are friends.” Logan’s answers are short and to the point. “He’s been good to Shelby.”
Glow: Who would you want to play you in a movie?
“I’m not at a stage in my career yet where I’m worried about that.” Shelby’s humble laughter is infectious. “But I’d kill to play Dolly Parton if anyone has a movie about her life they’d like to make.”
Noted.
Glow: You mentioned a sister?
“Hayley, yes. She was my best friend. And I still miss her every day.”
It seems the pain of past family tragedies is one thing that connects Shelby and Logan.
“I lost my parents at thirteen in an extremely traumatic way.” Until now, Logan’s been reluctant to talk about his parents’ death. “My father was complicated. He had fits of violence and rage throughout my childhood. Usually taking it out on my mother. Sometimes on me. One day he shot her, then turned the gun on himself, leaving me to find their bodies after school.”
Glow: You haven’t let that experience define your whole life, though.
“It scars you. But scars can heal.” He throws one of those affectionate looks Shelby’s way again.
The implication is clear.
Love, their love, has healed both their souls.
The danger in doing the interview was that it might trivialize or sensationalize Logan’s past. I hated to have him put himself in the tabloid cross hairs. But the concern that Ashley, or anyone really, might pop up from his past and try to spill a salacious version to the press was still a possibility.
Better to put it out there first so we could control the narrative. As soon as we approached my publicist Miranda, she set it in motion.
My phone rings. Seeing it’s Miranda, I pick it up. “I just finished it.”
“It’s a bit of a fluff piece, but still sympathetic. About what I expected that from Glow. How do you feel?”
“Same, but it’s okay. I wanted it to be no big deal. It’s in the past. Leave it there, you know?”
“Right. I think we took the wind out of the sails of anyone who might try to drag this out and make it into some scandal. And that’s what we wanted.”
She’s right. I still don’t feel great about putting Logan through that, though.
Someone knocks at the kitchen door. By the tentative tap, it can only be my momma. “Come in.”
“Is it here?” she asks.
I pass her the magazine. She flips to the article and reads it with one hand pressed to her throat. “I just hate this for Logan,” she whispers when she’s finished.
She sets the glossy pages down on the kitchen table. “Is he okay?”
Well, look who’s all team Rooster now.
I hadn’t been looking forward to telling her we were engaged, but Rooster insisted. She took the news well. Better than I expected. No prenup talk. Only excited chatter about possible dresses and locations.
The back door opens and Rooster fills the space. He lifts his eyebrows as I hurry over.
“What’s up, chickadee?” he rumbles, pulling me in for a quick kiss. He nods to my mother. “Hey, Lynn.”
“Were you careful out there?” she asks, scowling at his work gloves.
“Always.”
“Are you hungry?”
Momma’s been taking that quote about cooking-is-visible-affection seriously while she’s visiting us.
Rooster’s lips curve into a sly smile. “I could eat.”
“Lordy,” I mutter.
“Good.” Momma says, patting his arm with affection on her way to the refrigerator.
He rubs his hand over his stomach, almost lifting his shirt and giving me a peek. “I worked up an appetite clearing those trees, in the hope there’d be chicken-fried steak in my future.”