Pam Tillis and Lorrie Morgan both come from lines of country royalty—Tillis is the daughter of Mel Tillis, and Morgan’s father is George Morgan. And, in their own rights, they’re carrying on the family names as music legends themselves. Together, they’ve formed the Grits & Glamour tour, making a stop this month at The Birchmere. We spoke with Tillis about the music and her friendship with Morgan, below.
Why did you and Morgan decide to tour together?
It’s a unique little entity that we put together. I had been talking about putting together a package like this, because people like those kind of collaborations. I found myself at the Opry, and Lorrie was onstage. My husband and I looked at each other and went, “That’s classic country. That would be a great fit.” It’s been a real gift.
What’s your favorite thing about performing as a duo?
What’s really fun is when you say something that wasn’t planned that catches the other person off guard, and you make them laugh really hard. If we can make each other laugh, then that’s a good day.
What do you love about The Birchmere?
There’s certain rooms in the country that are iconic, and really represent a region. In Northern Virginia, The Birchmere is just a classic. It has a longstanding tradition of booking great artists that I admire. Being there is a good feeling. // July 11, 7:30 p.m.; The Birchme: 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria; $59.50
This post originally appeared in our July 2019 issue. Keep up to date on all the best events happening this summer by subscribing to our newsletters.