From Their First Hit To Their Current Single – Stories Behind Thompson Square Songs

With country duo Thompson Square performing at Starlite Station in Killeen Friday, February 21st, we wanted to take a look at how husband and wife Keifer and Shawna Thompson choose and write songs that resonate so well with their fans.

Everyone knows 'Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not'. One of the biggest songs of the previous decade was also the duo's first number one. Even though it tells the couples love story, they didn't write it.

'Big Green Tractor' co-writers David Lee Murphy and Jim Collins wrote the hit ten years ago. In an interview with The Boot, they say it was one of those rare moments when after they put their pens down they knew they had a hit on their hands.

"It took us a couple of days to write this song, and we spent most of the day just trying to find an idea that was even interesting, because we write together so much during the week. Then David finally came up with the line "Are you gonna kiss me or not?" I said, "Are we gonna do this or not?" Then I grabbed my guitar and started singing, "We were sittin' up there on your mama's roof / Talkin' 'bout everything under the moon." From there, we just let it take us where it wanted to go."

-Jim Collins on writing 'Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not

Thompson Square's latest single 'Masterpiece' came to Keifer in a much different way: a dream. He told The Boot that he woke up with the title in his head, wrote it down, tried to go back to sleep, but couldn't shake the idea. The inspiration came from the recent birth of their son.

"I started thinking about what a masterpiece is, and, to me, a masterpiece is a person's best work, something they'll never be able to top, artist or otherwise. I was thinking about what my masterpiece would be today, and I couldn't think of anything else I've done that's more important than having Cooper, our kid. He's clearly the masterpiece of all masterpieces in our eyes."

-Keifer Thompson

The ACM Duo of the Year Award winners will take the stage with special opening guest JJ Brown at the new Starlite Station in Killeen Friday, February 21. You can purchase tickets right here.