Daily Inspiration: Meet Shawna Thompson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shawna Thompson

Hi Shawna, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I moved to Nashville from Laton Hill, Alabama in 1996 right after graduating high school with aspirations of being a solo country artist singing traditional country music. It’s funny we think we have life planned out and God shows us other wise. I met my husband and now business partner (Keifer Thompson of Thompson Square) the week I moved to town. We met at a venue called the Nashville Night Life and have been married 25 years now. We both had plans of solo careers in the industry but when friends and music colleagues heard us sing together we started really getting interest from the industry and 5 years later we had a record deal and a year later we had the biggest song in the country, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not”. That song quite literally shot us into the stratosphere. All we could do was hang on for dear life. Since then, we have had several hit songs, award nominations and wins. All that to say, I still had the original goal and dream in my heart to record and release a solo honky tonk record on my own and show the world who I am as an artist. Sure it’s been 28 years, but I’m here to say it’s never too late to reach for your dreams and goals. My Album “Lean On Neon” was released in September on the ledgendary Sun Record label.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
When I moved to Nashville it was right in the middle of the Shania Twain pop country craze. Females were killing it at the time. Which, seemed like a great time for me to be in Nashville. My obstacle, was the style I wanted to create and record. I love traditional country music with every ounce of my being and during this time it just wasn’t trending with females. So every time I would work and collaborate with other writers and producers they would talk me into writing or recording songs that fit into the “radio success” box. It’s unfortunate, but I think this happens a lot in Nashville. Instead of fueling and cultivating a style or idea an artist is passionate about, a money grab or path of least resistance is more important. Hence the reason why you hear artist that sound and look very similar. If it’s working at radio and with the masses let’s keep supporting the same style and vibe. It’s the cookie cutter, music factory way things go with mainstream music. My ray of hope was a female artist that hit around this time named LeeAnn Womack that had a super pure old school country sound.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a traditional country honky tonk singer/songwriter. My new album “Lean On Neon” was released in September. Even though my husband and I have a pop/country duo named Thompson Square which gained notoriety in 2011 with a song called “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not” and we have had hits and achieved lots of successes, I still have that drive and passion to release and make the music and art that I have wanted to make as a solo artist. That’s the hardest part of being in a band or duo, is being able to show your personal character and vibe as an individual artist.
Making this album and releasing it has been my most proud moment because I followed through with the original mission I had when I moved to Nashville back in 1996. And of course, being able to collaborate with some of my musical heroes (Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Pam Tillis, Rhonda Vincent) was the cherry on top. This album is also a tribute to my Daddy, that we lost to colon cancer in 2012. He is the whole reason why I know anything about country music and the reason why I sing. So, this project is extra special and super personal. It was also important to me, introducing myself as a solo artist, for this project to be as authentic to 1960-1980’s country music as possible. From the album cover art work, writing style, song selection, to the techniques when recording, everything has a retro vibe that represents the country music that I grew up loving. I think what sets me apart now, is not trying to fit into the mainstream country mold and just being me full throttle.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
The thing I like best about our city is that it’s still a dreamers town that is chocked full of artistic and creative people. It really is inspiring. The thing that I like the least about our city is that it has lost some of the quaintness that it had back when I first moved here almost 30 years ago. It just seems like it has lost a little of it small town charm and soul with all the high-rise buildings, traffic and the commercialization of broadway.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shawnathompson.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnathompsonmusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShawnaThompsonMusic1
• Twitter: https://x.com/ShawnaTMusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ShawnaThompsonMusic