Thompson Square’s Turning Point

Having a #1 record can be a life changing experience for a musician.  Especially for a married couple who had worked and hoped for success for over ten years. Then last April, Thompson Square had a #1 song with “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not.”  The song was so huge, Scotty McCreery performed it on American Idol.  Country Countdown USA’s Lon Helton asked Thompson Square how the #1 changed their lives.  Keifer answered this way: “For me, I’m always a worrier.  There was a time before we got our record deal that if we’d go out to eat, we couldn’t order what we wanted.  We had to order the cheapest thing on the menu.  I was always frustrated because I had to order water.  I couldn’t afford a Coke.  So as simple as this seems, we’re now working so much, it’s cool to be able to go to a restaurant and be able to order a Coke, and not lose sleep over it.  Because I would.  Because we had nothing.  It was tough.  I had a 6 or 8 month slot where I didn’t sleep at all, out of stress that this is never going to happen, and how am I as a man providing for my wife?  Do I need to get a real job?  It was real scary.  I would wake up in cold sweats.  That went on for a year.”  

LISTEN HERE: 11-50 Thomp5

That experience deeply affected Keifer’s wife Shawna:   “I told Keifer my heart can’t take it any more.  This is our 15th year in Nashville.  And Keifer said to me, ‘Give me one more year.’  And two months later, we did our showcase for the record label, and got our deal.” Keifer said,”I think God pushes you to the edge to see if you can take it.  To see how strong you are and see if you’re ready for it.  And sometimes you get pushed to the limits and it makes you a stronger person.  It is the hardest job we’ve had, but it’s the most rewarding.”

Tags: thompson

Category: Audio