:: Sherry Lynn

Mention the New Jersey music scene and thoughts that immediately come to mind would most likely be Bon Jovi, Springsteen, Asbury Park and the Stone Pony. Not exactly the kind of place you’d think a Country singer would hail from, let alone someone that was inspired by legends like Loretta and Crystal Gayle. Newcomer Sherry Lynn is out to change all that. While her hometown of Clayton, NJ may not be Butcher Holler, look closely and you’ll see some similarities.

“There was one stop light,” remembers Lynn. “There was a gas station and a grocery store and we all gathered to hang out at a pizzeria called Nicks, and that was about it!”

Lynn’s debut album, “It’s A Woman Thing,” on Steal Heart Music is the culmination of dreams, dedication and hard work. Also, like a lot of other Country music stories, there’s some tragedy involved. When Sherry Lynn was two-years old, she lost her dad, the victim

of a murder. Sherry’s mom took on the task of raising her and her siblings. “She was a great inspiration. She went out and did what she had to do to support her family, working two jobs.” Sherry Lynn’s older sister of six-years took on the task of watching out for Sherry and her brother while mom was working.

When asked about listening to traditional Country music while growing up in Jersey, Sherry sums it up pretty simply, “mom was a Country music fan.” Like a lot of pre-teens who get hooked on music, Sherry strutted her stuff in front of the mirror, belting out the tunes into a hairbrush. “I could recite ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’ word for word,” chuckles Lynn. Singing into a hairbrush eventually led to school plays, choir and visions of hitting the stage of the Grand Ole Opry one day. Then adult responsibility got in the way of those dreams. After waiting on tables at 16, having her first child at 17, married at 19, Lynn was the mother of four by the time she was 23. All of that would essentially push her hopes of becoming an artist to the back burner.

“I honestly thought that I may very well end up being a waitress forever. There was no light at the end of the tunnel,” admits Sherry. Yet, all of that experience would make for one great country song, if she could only get rolling. “My friends were a major component in starting me on the road to becoming a singer. They just wanted to get me out of the house because they knew I was in dire need of a change.” They would take her to karaoke bars and it was in those establishments where the road truly began. “I was scared to death at first,” she remembers. “I had to get used to singing alone, but once I was embraced and encouraged by other customers, I became a lot more confident. The more we went out- the better I got”

Lynn would belt out the usual Karaoke standards- “I’d do Gretchen Wilson, Martina, Collin Raye, Cher and I must admit, even a little Styx. I did Gretchen a lot. People would call me the ‘Redneck Woman,’ when I walked in.” Eventually she started writing songs and meeting people on songwriters’ websites. After recording some songs in New Jersey and making connections, she met veteran Nashville producer Ted Hewitt, who recently earned a gold selling album with Rodney Atkins; “If You’re Going Through Hell.” “Working with Ted was a brilliant experience. It was different than anything I had experienced prior to that and I learned more in the studio with him than my whole life before. He’s a very down to earth guy, straightforward and great to work with.”

The album, “It’s A Woman Thing,” includes three songs that Sherry had a hand in writing. She was a co-writer on “Way Past Over You,” and “Simple Things,” and she penned “Is There Still Time,” herself. It seems that all the experience of raising kids, waiting on tables, and marrying young, was the inspiration. “That song is autobiographical and I really want it to help encourage other single moms, who may be in the same boat as I once was, to not give up.” Sherry has been out visiting radio stations all over the country and is now promoting her new single, “Wrong Train”.

Recently Sherry had the opportunity to sing the National Anthem at a Phillies game in Philadelphia, where Tim McGraw just happened to be throwing the first pitch. “The other 45,000 people didn’t bother me- but having Tim McGraw watching me sing, that was tough.” Lynn did so well that they invited her back to sing “God Bless America,” a couple of days later.

Sherry Lynn launched her full-scale performing career in her native Garden State, opening for Sammy Kershaw this spring at the historic Pittman Theatre. “It wasn’t the Ryman,” said Lynn. “However, for me it was awesome to play for my fans on that legendary stage in my home-state.”

Site Design: Robert DiAddezio: rob@sherrylynnmusic.com