Lorrie Morgan, Grand Ole Opry lifetime member and one of the most eloquently emotive country vocalists of modern times, will perform at the Edmonds Center for the Arts Friday, arch 13 at 7:30 p.m.

Morgan is the first woman in her genre to begin her career with three consecutive Platinum albums. Born Loretta Lynn Morgan, she was the daughter of Grand Ole Opry star George Morgan and made her professional debut at age 13 on the Opry, where her rendition of “Paper Roses” received a standing ovation.

When her father died in 1975, Lorrie Morgan took over his band and began leading the group through various club gigs. Within a few years, she had disbanded the group, and in 1977, went on to play with the Little Roy Wiggins band. In 1978, Morgan garnered one hit single; the following year, another hit with “I’m Completely Satisfied,” an electronically dubbed duet with her late father. She began touring Nashville nightclubs and opened for a number of artists, including Jack Greene, Billy Thunderkloud and Jeanie Seely. She also toured as a duet partner with George Jones and spent two years as part of the Opryland USA bluegrass show and as a guest singer on TNN’s Nashville Now.

Lorrie Morgan married fellow country singer Keith Whitley in 1986. She was signed to RCA Records in 1987, and her onslaught of hits began the following year. Whitley’s tragic death of an alcohol overdose in 1989 left Morgan a widowed working mother. Their duet “Til a Tear Becomes a Rose” earned her a 1990 CMA award. Her first three albums, Leave the Light On(1989), Something in Red (1991) and Watch Me (1992), all earned Platinum Record awards. Her Greatest Hits collection (1999) is also Platinum. War Paint (1994), Greater Need (1996) and Shakin’ Things Up (1997) are all Gold Record winners. 

Morgan’s latest album is Letting Go…Slow. It is a collection that showcases a rainbow of emotions, from darkest heartache to bright, shiny humor. “Where I am in my life right now, I’m not afraid to express what I feel, or what I don’t feel,” she comments about the collection’s varied moods. “I’m not afraid to express my views on anything, especially on being a woman. I have been a daughter, a bride, a mother, a divorcee, a widow, a single mother, a breadwinner and, ultimately, a survivor. In many ways, I am a living, breathing country song, and I know what I sing.”

Tickets to ECA Presents Lorrie Morgan: $34-$69, with 10% discount for seniors and military. $15 Youth/Student pricing available directly through the box office. Call the ECA Box Office at 425-275-9595, go online at www.ec4arts.org, or visit the ECA Box Office, located at 410 4th Ave. N. ECA is a proud partner of TeenTix, and offers $5 tickets to teens at the Box Office on the day of the performance, pending availability. To become a TeenTix member, register at www.teentix.org.