What an honor it was to sit down with Stella Parton during our recent trip to Nashville!
Parton is the younger sister of Dolly Parton and has made quite a name for herself over the years! She recently released her 18th studio album, Mountain Songbird. The album has 13 songs, 11 of which are a tribute to her older sister.
I have been asked many times throughout my career to record an entire album of her (Dolly’s) music, but in my heart and mind, I never felt I could ever do her music or performances justice. So in the end, while making the decision to record this tribute album of eleven of my favorites, I decided to sing the story songs because they resonated with me the most. Dolly has always been my favorite songwriter, although I grew up in a family chocked full of them. It was indeed a daunting task to choose eleven of my favorite songs from a catalog so vast. I have chosen to sing them as sincerely and respectfully as possible and I hope you can hear that in my humble and honest approach to my sister’s beautiful songs. I am pleased and honored to share my sister tribute.
In our interview, Stella explained the difficulty of having to choose only 11 songs out of over 3,000! It’s amazing to think Dolly has written that many! The sisters also teamed up to write a song together for the project and Stella told us it will be coming out as a single soon!
WATCH OUR INTERVIEW WITH STELLA PARTON
Dolly has listened to the album and couldn’t be more proud of the way it turned out!
Stella is a great singer, entertainer and songwriter. All the more reason I am so proud she decided to do a tribute CD of my songs. She was there from the beginning of my career and always complimented and encouraged me in my writing. I admire and respect the way that she chose to do my songs. She stayed true to the original spirit in which I wrote them and yet found a way to make them her own. I really love how they turned out and I think you will, too. It’s been a personal source of joy to be able to hear this loving tribute from one sister to another and just to be able to work that closely with her. I am especially proud of the song we wrote together “More Power To Ya.” I hope you will enjoy this CD as much as we’ve enjoyed working on it for you.
Stella will also be in the sequel to the movie Coat of Many Colors which is based on her family and largely Dolly’s life growing up. The sequel is titled Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love and will be centered around their family’s Christmas traditions, an unexpected blizzard and the start of Dolly’s singing career.
There are moments that have come along for husband and wife duo Thompson Square in the last several years that have been real “pinch me” moments. They’ve celebrated success with two #1 songs (“Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not” and “If I Didn’t Have You), they earned a GRAMMY nomination, they’ve met musical icons like Merle Haggard and finally, they had their first born child, a son – Cooper!
WATCH: Thompson Square: T3 Home Movie – You Make It Look So Good
Keifer and Shawna Thompson are more than just a Country Duo, they are the kind of artists you fly across the world to see play for 15 minutes because they’ve touched your life that much. After fighting hard for 13 years before getting their record deal, it’s no wonder that to this day they are still the most humble and gracious people you will ever meet.
There are different kinds of artists, artists you listen to on the radio, artists who’s music you buy, artists who you make sure to see in concert and artists you go the next level for – requesting their music to radio because they have something to say, a voice that needs to be heard. That’s the kind of artists, Thompson Square are. That’s why, when I told them they were the “holy grail of interviews,” I 100% meant it. They might not have the biggest name in Country Music, but they have the biggest place in my heart and the hearts of thousands of fans around the globe.
The GRAMMY nominated duo just released their new single “You Make It Look So Good” after taking a long break to enjoy life as new parents. This song resonated with the duo and it’s easy to see why. So often the tale goes, someone never pictures themselves getting married, settling down… but then you meet the right person and things change.
Yeah, you got me wondering / What it might be like / Knowing every night / Who I’m waking up with / On the other side of the bed / And I never thought I’d let / Anyone ever get close enough / To make me fall in love / But ooh, you make it look so good
With a title like “You Make It Look So Good,” it’s pretty easy to come up with witty things to say! We had Keifer and Shawna play a little game where they took turns telling each other what the other makes look so good… Things got a little crazy when Keifer’s answered turned into taking off clothes and sexy Chewbacca outfits! Watch them play below!
WATCH: THOMPSON SQUARE PLAYS “YOU MAKE IT LOOK SO GOOD” WHEN…
After talking with Thompson Square, it was exciting to find out more about where they’re at right now and what’s ahead for them. Fans can support them by downloading their single “You Make It Look So Good,” going to shows, buying merch and requesting their single to radio! Keifer also talked about a new Children’s book that’s in production and doing more things related to children (songs, books) might be something Thompson Square works on as a side project in the future! It’s no doubt being parents have changed their lives for the better, we can’t wait to read the book! Check out the full interview below along with a photo gallery from their show!
WATCH: THOMPSON SQUARE’S INTERVIEW WITH VARIETY BEAT
PHOTO GALLERY: THOMPSON SQUARE PERFORMING IN SALT LAKE CITY, UT
It was such an honor to have the chance to sit down with Megan & Liz. What welcoming, bright and happy young ladies they are! We spoke about their change from Pop to Country Music and how much they love to tell stories with their music.
The girls have been very busy as they have a partnership with My Country Nation and they have had quite the experiences as they host the youtube channel’s videos! They also talk about how grateful they are to have the support of Radio Disney Country so their music has the opportunity to be heard in other ways than just the local Country Radio stations.
The girls talk about their latest EP Deux which stands for two in French. Megan & Liz are not only sisters, but twins! They pretty much do everything together and say living together is a free-for-all as far as sharing goes!
They have summer plans to make more videos, at least one from their EP and then some personal videos as Liz talks about going Vegan and Megan also wants to make a personal video!
We can’t wait to see what they come up with! Check out the full interview below!
This past April SYFY unveiled their newest TV show, and what a show it is! Wynonna Earp tells the story of 27-year old Wynonna who is tasked with killing the same people (who are now demons) that her great-grandfather Wyatt Earp killed some 100 plus years before her. The show is reminiscent of Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Veronica Mars.
Wynonna Earp has captured millions with its wit and strong female leads. It has built up a very strong fan base in just 13 weeks! A lot of that strength is from the cast and crew who live tweeting with the fans weekly! One of those people is Beau Smith who created the comic book series that the show is based on. The book was published by Image and now IDW! We had the honor of getting to talk to the man behind Wynonna Earp, the writer and creator Beau Smith.
Variety Beat: For our readers who don’t know, can you tell us a little bit about Wynonna Earp and what’s it’s about?
BEAU SMITH: As a U.S. Marshal, Wyatt Earp hunted down fugitives from the law in the old west. His great-Great granddaughter is a U.S. Marshal for the covert Black Badge Division of the U.S. Marshals. She hunts down Paranormal fugitives running from the law in present time, as well as placing others in the paranormal witness protection program. In her world, crime doesn’t pay, it just gets weird. It’s not been the easiest adjustment for Wynonna, you see, every morning, any side of the bed she gets up on is usually the wrong side. She not only works for the law, she has Murphy’s law working against her on a regular basis. It’s what makes Wynonna fun to be around. Nothing is normal…or boring.
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VB: What has it been like revisiting Wynonna Earp as a character years after the original comic? And what has it been like merging the comic universe you created and the television world Emily Andras created into the brand new Wynonna Earp comic book series?
BS: It’s been a few years since the graphic novel, Wynnona Earp: The Yeti Wars. I’ve always written Wynonna at the peak of her Black Badge career at the age of 35 to say, 45. I feel that not enough comic books, films, TV shows and even prose, give enough spotlight to women after 40. That’s a real crime, because a majority of the women I know that age, and older, are the most interesting people you’d wanna meet and hang out with. As far as what it’s like merging my comic book universe with that television world that Emily Andras has created—It’s great! I now have the opportunity to create this hybrid world of what I created and what Emily created, and develop a world where long time, hardcore comic book readers of Wynonna Earp will get this “Wynonna Earp Year One” origin landscape and the TV viewers, some who have never read a comic book, will get something brand new, yet familiar, that they can enjoy and relate to as well. I’m trying to make this something for everyone. If the sales are any indication, then I’d say we’re pulling it off very well. I am so blessed to have been able to bake this bread, called Wynonna Earp, hand it over to Emily, and she then makes thousands of delicious sandwiches out of it and serves the world. Emily and her staff of writers as well as the cast and crew, have introduced Wynonna Earp to the world, and the world has embraced Wynonna and her family with open arms. I am so grateful to Emily for her brilliant writing, for “getting” Wynonna Earp, and for expanding her world for ours.
VB: I gotta ask, cause this seems to always come up in the live tweets. Tell us about getting to play with the flame thrower?
BS: I wish they would’ve handed it to me….Oh, the fun I could’ve had. Let me rephrase that, the trouble I could’ve caused. It happened that last December was when I was on the set of Wynonna Earp in Calgary, they were filming the main confrontation between main bad guy, Bobo Del Rey (Michael Eklund) and secondary villain, Constance Clootie (Rayisa Kondracki) There was liberal usage of an uzi and a military grade flame thrower. I was lucky enough to be there to witness the use of both. Made me feel like a 12 year old boy again. It was also very generous that director, Ron Murphy invited me to help him “direct” a scene. It was a great day for me, no doubt.
VB: It’s clear that the cast and crew adores you, as do the fans! You’re even known as Papa Earp to most of them! What has it been like experiencing the fandom, now that it’s a TV show and the live tweeting? How does it differ from the comic book community?
BS: It’s quite different. In one way, it’s more innocent, more accepting. I’ve been writing comic books for 30 years and before that, a member of the comic book fandom since I was in grade school. I have to say, this group of viewers and readers for Wynonna Earp is truly like an all forgiving, all accepting family. In the last year, the cast and crew have become family members of mine. I asked Ted Adams, CEO of IDW Publishing and IDW Entertainment, if it’s always like this with TV, he smiled and shook his head No. He said this is a very rare and a very special thing. I believe him. I don’t mean to sound all Pollyanna, because I’ve seen a lot in my 30 years in entertainment, but this really is love and a very special bunch of people, from on top with all the fans of the show, to the other end with me, the cast and crew. I’m so happy that I’ve gotten to experience this in my life time. So many of the viewers of Wynonna Earp have come and bought/read the comics, old and new, and they really love it. It makes my day, every day to hear from them and know that with Emily’s help, I’ve entertained some new friends.
VB: What’s next for you? More Wynonna Earp comics, Or do you have something else on the horizon?
BS: Yup! More Wynonna Earp Comics. We’re lined up through issue #12, I hope by then, they greenlight the second season and I can start on the next round of adventures I have for Wynonna in print. Trust me, you will see new characters, old characters and more from the TV screen on pages in full color. Another one of my comic book creations, COBB, is also in development for television. David Ozer, President of IDW Entertainment, has been working really hard in making Cobb kick down the door to the screen much as he did with Wynonna Earp. Cobb is a former Secret Service agent now off the government grid, dealing with loads of political intrigue, presidential elections and behind the scenes dealings that make what going on today look like play school. I’ve also got a turn of the century western in the works called 200 People To Kill.
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VB: Is there anything you would like to say to the cast, crew and/or fans as the show comes to a close for this season?
BS: To the cast and crew, I love every one of you. To the fans: I love everyone of you. I’ve got open arms and a big heart, both open to all of you. The season finale is going to be wild, but a second season…will be wilder!
Wynonna Earp comic series can be found at your local comic store or online! Wynonna Earp airs it’s season Finale on SYFY channel this Friday at 10/9c! You can connect with Beau on twitter @beausmithranch and at his website flyingfistranch.com.
My favorite interview of CMA Fest was with the sensationalLindsay Ell! Not only is Ell an amazing Country Artist, she’s also an amazing guitar shredding machine! Plus, she’s amazing with her fans and even gives guitar lessons on social media and in person before concerts! I’ve had the opportunity to meet Ell several times over the last couple of years as a fan, so being able to interview her was pretty amazing!
It’s wonderful that artists can also cheer on the people who cheer them on, whether it be RTing them or saying how proud they are of everything they are working on. It’s all a team effort and I’m happy to be on the team to help support amazing Country Artists!
Ell had an incredible week at CMA Fest, she was nominated for a CMT award and chatted about walking the red carpet (she looked stunning!) and what an honor it was to be nominated in the same category as Blake Shelton, Kelsea Ballerini, Brett Eldredge, Jake Owen and Thomas Rhett.
We also spoke to Ell about her single “By The Way” which is an empowering song about not waiting around being sad about a date or relationship that didn’t work out and getting back out there. Sometimes it just takes a little confidence and this song helps remind you of that! Plus it’s super catchy and one you will want to be jumping up and down to!
Ell had an amazing week at CMA Fest, performing her own shows and also joining Kristian Bush and Natalie Stovall for a show, along with the much anticipated Bobby Bones concert where he brought out a whole bunch of Female Country Artists! Ell is so thankful for everything he is doing for the Women of Country and so are we! Bones recently tweeted about needing to only hear female country artists for the next 3 years!
just what the format needs. another dude, singing about drinking, and girls in bikinis. THATS ALL THE SONGS. we get it.
