Country music fans: is this song being played on the country station(s) in your town? (From Buzzflash.com)
A group of Nashville music industry professionals, calling themselves the Honky Tonkers for Truth, decided it was time that a country song take issue with Presidential policy, (much like Darryl Worley's, Have You Forgotten and Toby Keith's, Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue speak in favor of it). They had no problem finding a hit-songwriter, a professional studio, and top-drawer session players and engineers, all who were willing to donate their talents and services and, to stand up and be counted as country music's "other voice."
What they had in a matter of days was, Takin' My Country Back, penned by David Kent (Austin by Blake Shelton and other country hits), a stone-cold country song clearly criticizing the President's record. With just a "demo vocal" of the song, they went directly to the top: Tim Dubois (President, Universal South Records); Mike Dungan (President, Capitol Records); Don Cook (Producer, Brooks & Dunn); Garth Fundis (Producer, Trisha Yearwood) for starters. Without exception, these Music Row executives loved the song. What the Honky Tonkers for Truth had on their hands was a hit...almost.
What they didn't have was a "brand name" singer willing to put his/her career on the line by singing a song with a critical message. The Honky Tonkers for Truth are comprised of successful songwriters, publishers, producers, musicians, and attorneys. Even with their combined contacts, the best they could get from the "star" country artists they queried (all self-proclaimed Democrats) was a "maybe" and then, when their managers caught wind of it, "Sorry...and good luck."
Enter, Tony Stampley, one of Nashville's most respected session singers and son of country legend, Joe Stampley. Tony's stellar performance of Takin My Country Back and his willingness, rather, his passion and enthusiasm, to be a part of country music's "other voice" inspired the Honky Tonkers for Truth to take the song directly to the world via radio, the internet, and any other means possible.
You can hear the song here:
http://www.takinmycountryback.com/main.htm. Lyrics are available from the same page.