e recently had the honor of interviewing the very talented, inspiring, and most positive-vibed human we know; singer, songwriter and horsewoman, Templeton Thompson. Here’s the interview with all the energy and raw flower power of T.T.
S&T: How did you get started in music?
TT: I did a couple of talent contests as a kid, I played Sandy in Grease my Senior year of High School and sang a bit in college. I was on track to go to Law school but I knew that wasn’t where my heart was and I knew it wasn’t what I was supposed to do with my life. I moved to Nashville as fast as I could! I’m grateful every day that I listened to my heart.
S&T: What has been the highlight of your career thus far?
TT: Having one of my biggest musical heroes, Michael Martin Murphey, sing on my new record & be in my new MUSIC VIDEO for mine & my husband & musical partner Sam Gay’s song “Ride a Wide Circle” I still can’t believe it!!
Other highlights include my Rockstar baby girl Jane becoming an Official Breyer Model Horse, I’m so proud of her! Just a few weeks ago Jane was on American Idol with our rockstar superstar cowgirl sista Kristyn Harris! Cameras everywhere & our Jane & Beau didn’t mind one bit, they’re used to being in the spotlight! Speakin’ of, getting to make a music video with the incredible Cindy Meehl, having my babies Jane & Beau & my man Sam shine in that video and to be on CMT.com and on GAC with the video, “When I Get That Pony Rode.”
S&T: What are your aspirations for the future?
TT: A Grammy for myself as an artist & as a songwriter, hey, a cowgirl’s gotta dream and I dream big! Oh & performing on the Opry, it is going to happen!) & singing on stage with Michael Martin
Murphey. He’s on the record, in the video, now I just KNOW to my soul that we’ll sing together on stage! (you never know!) I plan to continue writing songs for myself, for & with other artists and to keep making records. I plan to get more songs placed in Film & TV. Getting back overseas to perform is definitely on the list. Sam & I fell in love performing in France together, so we really want to get back over there. We’d love to perform in Australia, and to perform in Japan again. I can’t wait to get back to LA to perform where some of my biggest musical heroes have performed. I wanna keep being out on the road & performing, I love singing for folks who appreciate music & art in general. Simply, I love singing & performing! AND I’m also planning on doing some more performing with our big, BEAUTY~full Rockstars Jane & Beau!! There’s nothing like being out in an arena singing with them!
S&T: How have horses played a role in your life?
TT: My horses have always been my healers, my teachers, my babysitters, my best friends, my therapists, my soul medicine since day one. I’m amazed and grateful every day to wake up to my Jane & my Beau lookin’ at me with those big, BEAUTY~full, JOY~full, SOUL~full eyes, I’m a very, very lucky “hippie chic cowgirl’ Mama.
S&T: Tell us about your horses, the type of riding you enjoy and what type of horsemanship principles you follow?
TT: Our Jane & Beau are Quarter Horses. Beau’s Appendix. My baby girl Jane just turned 18 years young & my baby boy Beau turns 18 years young in April They’re half Brother & Sister and they are my heart and my world along with our other 4~legged children, our pups and kitty cats.
Our BIG babies and I love just playing in the field at liberty, riding bareback and bridleless as well as tacking up my kids and being a true student of horsemanship. I’m a BIG fan of our partner, rockstar cowboy superstar Buck Brannaman. I’ve had the good fortune of riding with him a few times, my babies love him! I look forward to riding with him with my kids again soon. I aspire to have my kids straight up in the bridle, they’re ready of course, I on the other hand have a lot more to learn! We’ll get there, it takes the time it takes. We even made some music for the film inspired by Buck with our “Songs from 7 Clinics” CD.
S&T: What inspired you to embrace expressing your love of horses in so much of your music?
TT: I’ve been singing from the backs of my BIG, BEAUTY~full rockstars since I was a kid. It just started happening, totally an organic kind of thing I’ve always loved putting horse references into songs. My first album, “I Remember You” has several horse themed tunes, I don’t think I can make an album that doesn’t at least have some horse references in it, my babies inspire me everyday.
S&T: Where can we see you perform this year?
TT: Every month at our Bluff House concerts series just downthe road from our little piece of Heaven in the country. We’ll be performing close to home a good deal in April & then out on the road in OK, TX & KY in May & then, well, who knows. We were contacted by a festival in Denmark the other day, looks like a WONDER~full festival, crossin’ fingers that that comes together. DREAMIN’ BIG! Click here for Templeton Thompson’s Tour Schedule >
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Templeton Thompson is putting the finishing touches on her new album “Hippie Chic Cowgirl.” For the first single and music video, “Ride a Wide Circle,” she enlisted the help of one of her musical heroes, the iconic, Michael Martin Murphey.
“Ride a Wide Circle” is the follow-up to Templeton’s music video for her song “When I Get That Pony Rode” which premiered on CMT.com and climbed to #1 in its first week & made its network TV debut on GAC’s Daily Countdown show remaining in the top 15 for 9 consecutive weeks.
Templeton is a veteran Nashville singer/ songwriter. You can find her songs on million-selling CD’s from country superstars Reba McEntire, Jo Dee Messina and Little Texas. She’s performed on stage for audiences across the US, Europe and Japan.
When she’s not on the road, Templeton divides her time between writing songs, recording with her husband and musical partner, Sam Gay and hangin’ out with her 4~legged babies; her horses, dogs and cats. She is every inch a hippie chic cowgirl.
When I Get That Pony Rode video:
https://youtu.be/vG-KiZxUFnM
Pre~order link for the new album:
https://templetonthompson.com/pre-order-tt-s-new-hippie-chic-cowgirl-cd
Link for Ride a Wide Circle song download:
https://templetonthompson.com/ride-a-wide-circle
This story originally appeared in the April 2018 Issue of Sport and Trail Magazine on Page 14
