A Few Moments With Lorianne Crook
It’s easy to see why Lorianne Crook is the queen of country music tele-journalists. And it’s just as easy to see why we were so keen to have her return as the host of The Country Music Cruise 2015. She puts everyone – stars as much as fans – instantly at ease. Her poise, charm, and above all encyclopedic knowledge and unaffected enthusiasm ensure that everyone is eager to sit down and share some time with her.
In the online interviews on The Country Music Cruise website, Lorianne talks a little about herself for a change. 
And what an interesting story it is. Originally from Kansas, she came to Nashville to study Russian at Vanderbilt and had already been recruited by the CIA when she detoured into television journalism.
Television producer Jim Owens saw Lorianne on Nashville’s ABC affiliate, WKRN-TV, and as he flipped between WKRN and Charlie Chase on Nashville’s NBC affiliate, he realized that the two of them probably had the chemistry to work well together. They teamed up in 1983, and two years later Lorianne married Jim. Everyone who loves country music has caught one of Lorianne and Charlie’s shows. Between 1986 and 1999, they were the mainstays of pioneering cable channel TNN. In 2012, it was a proud moment in Lorianne’s life when she and Jim acquired TNN. They’re working to bring it to more and more cable systems, so keep checking your schedule.
Although her Russian is a little rusty these days, Lorianne is keen to share her stories about mingling with country music royalty and equally keen to share her love of fine cooking. At home, though, when she’s making supper, she usually unwinds with a glass of wine and some of the crooners, like Perry Como, Vic Damone or Tony Bennett, on the stereo. And there are two songs ABOUT Lorianne, both of them hard to find. One is by Mentor Williams, writer of the classic “Drift Away,” and the other is by Bobby Field, who was watching her on Nashville’s Channel 2 when she inspired his song titled "Lorianne," later recorded by Ohio country rockers, McGuffey-Lane.
Lorianne is looking forward to The Country Music Cruise and reuniting with many artists she has interviewed on her show over the years. She spent some time with us reminiscing about some of her favorite memories with our all-star lineup.
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