Sammy Sadler's Heart Shaped Like Texas

Singer songwriter Sammy Sadler became an unwitting footnote to the dark side of country music history 19 years ago when he was wounded and his friend killed in an incident known around the world as “Murder on Music Row.” Fast forward to today, Sadler is gearing up for the June 3rd release of his latest album Heart Shaped Like Texas. The release date will coincide with the annual CMA Festival in Nashville.

The current single “Trying to Get the Girl” has recently reached #18 on the Texas Music Chart. The tune was penned by three of Nashville’s top songwriters Kim Tribble (“On a Mission”), Keith Follese (“The Way You Love Me”) and Wade Kirby (“Baby You Belong”).

Sadler is preparing to go on tour with Doug Stone. Additional concert dates will be announced soon. The singer/songwriter has also been approached by a publishing company to write a book on his life story.

Choosing to pursue a career in Nashville over accepting a college baseball scholarship, Sammy Sadler was a rising country music star on top of the world. He was riding high in 1989 with a total of six charting singles — including a memorable cover of Aaron Neville’s “Tell It Like It Is” — and was in the process of recording his first full-length album.

Then, in a horrifying shooting tragedy known around the world as the “Murder on Music Row,” Sadler was seriously wounded and his friend Kevin Hughes killed. The case remained unsolved for 13 years but eventually, Hughes’ associate at the industry publication Cashbox was convicted of murder.

While he knows the Music Row shooting’s physical, emotional and spiritual aftermath will always be part of who he is, Sadler is grateful for his second chance. With Heart Shaped Like Texas, the country music survivor feels that he’s fulfilling his long-delayed musical destiny.