The Genesis Sessions: Where Songs Begin

Lori Lynn: Lori Lynn’s story echoes the music she sings...woven with joy and sorrow, shaped by resilience, and guided by the good-hearted pursuit of a lifelong calling. Her earliest memories are filled with music. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, and raised in rural East Texas, Lori loved to sing for anyone who visited her family’s home, often making the fireplace hearth her stage. By age five, she was singing regularly in church, and by ten, she had earned her first paycheck for her vocals. At thirteen, she became a praise and worship leader in her father’s church, while also performing at state fairs and talent shows, taking advantage of every opportunity given to her.

In her teenage years, Lori appeared on the Louisiana Hayride, the iconic Shreveport radio and stage show that helped launch the careers of Hank Williams Sr. and Elvis Presley. Years later, she would share her voice once again with a national audience through Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry Gospel Hour. However, her personal life presented significant challenges. At eighteen, Lori married young... a union marked by hardship. Her husband’s battles with addiction eventually led to prison, leaving Lori to raise their small children on her own. She moved first to Tulsa and then to Nashville, where she built a career as a studio track singer and performed in local clubs.

Her perseverance eventually paid off. Lori began performing regularly on a Christian cable television show and met legendary producer Billy Sherrill, known for his work with George Jones, Tammy Wynette, and Tanya Tucker, who recorded one of her songs. While singing at a South Knoxville club, Lori met Bruno Williams, a musician who had worked with Waylon Jennings. Though Waylon passed on hiring her, Bruno didn’t; he fell for her voice and her spirit. They married, became musical partners, and spent years touring together, performing everywhere up and down the East Coast and Midwest, from honky-tonks to cruise ships.

Tragedy struck in 2021 when Bruno lost his battle with ALS. Within weeks, Lori also lost her mother, mother-in-law, sister, and grandson. What might have broken others, she transformed into song, turning her pain into messages of hope, faith, and endurance. Inspired by their mother’s strength, her sons Shane, Jacob, and Blake formed a family band, Appalachian Moon. Together, they are still performing regularly, making their living playing original songs as well as their favorite country, southern rock, and blues classics. Their talent hasn’t gone unnoticed; in both 2023 and 2024, the North American Country Music Association International (N.A.C.M.A.I.) named Appalachian Moon the New Modern Country Band of the Year, while Lori earned honors as Songwriter of the Year, Entertainer of the Year, and Vocalist of the Year.