Married country duo Thompson Square headlines July 27th concert

Thompson Square, comprised of singer/songwriters Keifer and Shawna Thompson and their band, will be headlining the Washakie County Fair with a performance on Saturday, July 27 at 7:30 p.m.

Based out of Nashville, Tennessee, Keifer said, "We don't make it out your way very often, so we're looking forward to that!"

Shawna, during their interview with Northern Wyoming News on July 12, said that they had been married for 25 years, after dating for three years when they met in Nashville in 1996.

Keifer told the story, saying how they were individually pursuing their careers as country music singers and songwriters, and met at a singing contest in Nashville in 1996 for up-and-coming artists. He said, "We hit it off, and really we've been together ever since ... It's a crazy story!"

To add to that story, Keifer shared that you might not expect it but when the two are back home, he's usually the one doing the cooking. He said, "I do love to cook; I always have, and Shawna thinks I'm pretty good at it!"

After continuing to pursue solo careers in country music for three years after their marriage, the couple arrived at a crossroad in their careers. They both loved what they did, but being on the road performing meant a lot of time away from one another. They came to the conclusion that they "didn't like being apart from each other," said Keifer.

Their solution to this problem was a simple one; they started a group together, and Thompson Square was born out of their desire to be together. "Being together was more important to us than our individual careers, and we both valued our relationship. We decided we were going to live or die by that sword, and that's what we did," Keifer added.

A few years after starting up Thompson Square, the Thompsons got signed to Stoney Creek Records, a division of Broken Bow Records in 2010. They released their debut single "Let's Fight" that same year. "That's when things really started taking off for us," they agreed.

THE MUSIC

You'll probably recognize Thompson Square best for their hit single "Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not," which debuted in 2011 and peaked at No. 23 on the country charts and No. 82 on the Pop charts that year. Throughout their career together, the Thompsons have been inspired by classic country but state they aren't afraid to draw on other genres to push the boundaries of their own music.

Keifer said the band draws on an eclectic range of influences that share a common theme: they're all great songwriters. Speaking for himself, he named artists ranging from Roger Miller and Merle Haggard to Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen as inspirations for his craft. Speaking for his wife Shawna, he said she would name Reba McEntire and Etta James as some of her biggest influences.

"It's all over the place just because I hold all these guys in high regard when it comes to songwriting, which is a primary focus in our lives; it always has been, and hopefully it always will be," he said.

Having won numerous accolades; from the American Country Music Awards, the Country Music Awards, and the Country Music Television Awards, even two Grammy nominations, the Thompsons were asked to reflect on the most important moment in their career together.

They instantly named the first time they played the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville as one of their fondest memories. Keifer - beyond a country music artist and having extreme reverence for the famous venue, had personal ties that he shared. He said, "That venue is regarded as one of the most hallowed pieces of ground in country music. My father used to work at National Life Insurance Company, which started WSM [AM radio station] and started the Opry as a vessel to sell life insurance. I've been exposed to WSM, to 650 [AM frequency], to the Opry for my whole life, as has Shawna, and so the day that we actually got to perform on there was massive for us."

Keifer added, "It was one of the few points in my life where I found it really hard to put two words together; it was probably the most nervous I've ever been performing in my career, just because of the respect I held for that stage ... By now, we've probably played it 45 times or so, but it's always a special time to go back there. Shawna just performed there for the first time as a solo act a couple months ago, and that was an amazing feat as well."

He continued, "We've played so many great venues across the country - you know, Red Rocks, the Gorge - so many great places and great crowds; we've really been afforded a lot of great opportunities in our career together."

Quite a departure from the Opry, Thompson Square is coming to play the Washakie County Fair next week, and they are excited all the same.

Keifer shared that both he and his wife grew up in small towns, joking that hers had a population of three. "That's where real country fans are; not to discount the crowds in the cities, but that's where the music is rooted, so it's always great to get back to small towns. We just love performing; it doesn't matter how small the crowd is, we just love what we do," he said.

Keifer said fans can expect to have a blast at their show. "I think one misnomer about our band is that our live show is gonna be all these love songs that are boring or whatever, but it's quite the contrary. It's a very high-energy show; we like to laugh, we like to cut-up and have a good time with the band and crowd and all that. It's a great show, and we're proud of what we've put together. We look forward to bringing it out there!"

Thompson Square said that the crowd in Worland can look forward to hearing some of their hits as well as some of Shawna's solo music, including stuff from the album she's currently working on, like the single "Small Town Wreck" that came out the day of their interview on July 12.

Tickets are available online at washakiecountyfair.com. Gates open at 6 p.m. July 27. Rattlesnake Ridge of Worland will open for Thompson Square.