Album Notes

Born and raised in eastern South Dakota, Terry Thompson is best introduced as a true country boy. At the helm of a 2500 - acre working farm, The Thompson Brothers Farm raises corn and soybean crops for the commercial market, Terry has earned his living off the land. Music has always been a passion for Terry, as well as an outlet From the hard work constantly needed on the farm. Even as a little boy, Terry would play his little plastic guitar and entertain the family dog on the front porch. When he got older he got a real guitar, taught himself to play, and started writing his own songs. Terry's influences ran the musical gamut, from the classic country of artists like Johnny Cash, to the rock and rock'a'billy overtones of Roy Orbison, Gene Pitney, and Elvis. His high school years included playin in a band that covered all types of music including songs he had written.


Although Terry dreamed of making music for a living, fate had different plans for the young man. When his father, Gene Thompson, was killed in a car accident eighteen-year old Terry took over as the head of the household and as farm manager.


Terry's family; wife Laurie, daughter Michelle and son Jesse, and farm responsibilities took precedence over his musical career. Then one day in 1997 Terry crossed paths with Dan Johnson an enthusiastic song writer and musician. With the encouragement of Dan, the support of his wife Laurie, Terry joined the Midwestern Songwriters Alliance and got serious about his music again. Visits to Nashville introduced Terry to many of the area's songwriters and musicians and even provided the opportunity to perform at the famous Bluebird Cafe.


It was on one of those trips to Nashville that brought Terry into the Music Row Records-Nashville offices in the spring of 2001. Label president Gene Cash liked what he heard in Terry - a different voice and a solid songwriting style. For Terry it was confirmation that it is never too late to follow your dreams. Within days Terry was at LSI Studios recording his own songs for an upcoming album. The first single off of the album was scheduled to be a peppy, up-tempo tune titled "I Miss The Way You Dance." Although the release was cut short, a few of the promo copies of the song did sneak their way on the air at several mid-western radio stations to great reception.


With the tragic events that unfolded on September 11th, Terry and the label decided to hold off on "I Miss The Way You Dance" instead focusing their energies on a song to inspire the entire nation called "We're America." Written by Gene Cash with Terry's vocal style in mind, the song was quickly recorded and sent to radio stations.