Home   /   What's New  /  Interviews  /   Stephanie Quayle
Stephanie Quayle

Catching up with the fabulous Stephanie Quayle

Annette Gibbons & Patti McClintic

We, at Think Country, love so many of the artists we interview, but Stephanie Quayle is truly a prized favorite thanks to her energy, her sense of humor, and her willingness to talk to US!  She once stopped and talked to us in an evening gown, in the middle of downtown Nashville rush hour traffic, on the way to an awards show, all the while risking a complete undoing of her hairstyle by a racing city bus.  Why?  Because she’s STEPHANIE QUAYLE.  This is why we enjoy her and why we were so happy to be talking with her again at CRS 2018. 

(Stephanie Quayle enters the room)

SQ:  I’m SO excited!!  It’s like a problem how excited I am! Are we recording?

TC:  Yes, we are.

SQ: (In her best British accent) Hello friends.

TC:  When we heard you might be coming over to the UK, we were so excited.

SQ:  I know, and I got your message, and I wanted to say something so bad and I just couldn’t, plus you’re always worried something might change, and then it’s like, “What?!”, but I can’t wait, I’m so excited.

TC:  There’s so much going on.  You’ve now got your music on the Billboard Top 40.  (Her single “Selfish”)

SQ:  Can you just say that again?  Just say that again, please?

TC:  BILLBOARD TOP 40…

SQ:  I can’t even describe…

TC:  I’ve been so “SELFISH”…

SQ:  It’s been so amazing to watch it resonate with the women and watch it become our song.  There hasn’t been a female perspective like this on country radio in a real long time.  It’s really cool.  We’ve been playing it at every show since forever now, so to watch it translate from the radio to the fans and the fans are growing, and to see all our English and our London Flock of Quayle coming and wanting to see that song.  It’s incredible because we’ve been working so hard to watch it pay off.

TC:  For so long, the industry just wasn’t paying attention to female artists much, but all of a sudden, people AND the industry are listening to female artists again.

SQ:  Let me tell you something, they ARE listening, and they’re liking what they’re hearing.  There are so many incredible females that are just right on the cusp of being in everyone’s home.

TC:  Just the females that are coming to C2C (Country 2 Country in the UK).  We’ve got you, Lindsay Ell, Ashley McBryde, Kelsea Ballerini, just to name a few, the tide has turned.

SQ:  The tide has turned, and I think the talent is extraordinary.  We have a really cool class coming over.  It’s awesome.

TC:  So, tell us about your tour, “The Winnebago Tour”.

SQ:  Oh, my word, 9000 miles, we had a glorious time in that Winnebago!  We played everywhere from The Empire State Building on the 86th Floor to Mount Rushmore to The Hornblower, which is the Canadian boat which goes to Niagara Falls. 

TC:  Our old stomping grounds! (Patti speaking here, a Buffalo, NY native)

SQ:  Oh, it was hysterical.  I had on my pink Wellington boots and a pink poncho and we played that song on that boat getting soaking wet, and we just had an extraordinary time.  It’s all about experience and creating these experiences for our fans and for those that can’t be there, and making them feel like they’re a part of it.  That’s the most important part.

TC:  C2C is the big thing when you’re coming to London.  Are you doing any other shows around C2C? 

SQ:  No, not necessarily.  I’m working on a fan Flock of Quayle Family Reunion.

TC:  Anything I can do to help? (Annette speaking)

SQ:  I would love that.  We have so many fans that we’ve not been able to spend time with, so we really want to incorporate that.  There’s also a sculptor named Stephanie Quayle, spells her name exactly the same and we’ve communicated via e-mail.  I’m hoping that we’ll get to meet on this trip.  Wouldn’t that just be a wild experience?  She’s extraordinary.

TC:  Another Stephanie Quayle!  How long are you over there for? 

SQ:  I think we’ll be over for about a week.  It’s not that far!  I haven’t been there for a while (laughing), I didn’t realize what an easy flight it is.  Clearly my calculations were off (in her best math professor voice).  Oh man, I can’t wait.

TC:  Then when you’re back after C2C, what’s happening next for you?

SQ:  A bunch of shows, a radio tour and then we’re planning out the “Love The Way You See Me Tour” for the summer where we’ll head out after the CMA Festival, like we did last year after the “Winnebago Tour”.  We’ll still be in a Winnebago going across the country, but more specific to all the different places that we’re really growing an incredible fan base, so it’s amazing, I’m so grateful.

TC:  You’re going to have a very heavy tour schedule I’m sure.

SQ:  Yes!  I’m thrilled!  I can’t wait.

TC:  I want to interview you after you play C2C just to see what your reaction is, I think that will be really cool. 

SQ:  Yes, just bring the Kleenex.

TC:  And the wine.

SQ:  Yes!  I’m so very grateful.  I wrote it in my yearbook when I graduated high school.  I wrote that I wanted to bring my music to the world, especially to Europe.  So, to go to London after so much time and to come back with my music and my purpose, it just makes me want to cry thinking about it.

TC:  That is really, really cool.

TC:  We have a little more time and a few different kinds of questions.

SQ:  Sure, sure.

TC:  We’re talking about merch.  We don’t want a hat or a koozie or a t-shirt.  If you could have anything at your merch table, what would it be?

SQ:  The vinyl record.  It’s turquoise, it’s pressed here in Nashville, it’s really cool.  It’s just got so much history with it in that respect, 180 gram.  I think vinyl record, and there’s just something about it.  I would definitely be bringing those over.

TC:  Excellent, I’d like a signed one jokes Annette!

SQ:  Of course, done and done and done.

TC:  Well, here in Nashville, everyone has their own bar.  Florida Georgia Line has FGL House and on and on.  Now you’re opening your own artist bar. 

SQ:  Yes!  I need to!

TC:  What’s it going to be called and what’s the theme going to be?

(Not a moment of hesitation here people)

SQ:  The Flock Bar, right?

TC:  Let’s get Flocked!  (We do have fun with this artist and dare we say she has fun with us too)

SQ:  Yeah, The Flock Bar.  That would be so fun.  There’s actually a Flock Bar in Corpus Christi, Texas.  Just randomly was driving by on a radio tour and it was awesome. 

TC:  Did you just have to put on the brakes and stop in?

SQ:  Oh, of course!  Went and took pictures and went in and met the owners.  It was awesome.  We had a whole conversation about The Flock (for those not familiar, The Flock is what fans of Stephanie Quayle are lovingly referred to as)

TC:  So now, you are the biggest star ever on the biggest tour ever.  Who is going to open for you?

SQ:  Oh, my goodness, wow!  What a day that will be.  It’ll be an up and coming artist that we don’t know yet, because honestly, there have been so many people that have paved the way, like with Keith Urban and Maren Morris, you know, and with who I get to open for this fall, it’s still to be determined who will give me that shot, but I would want to do that.  So, it’s nobody we know now.

TC:  Who would you love to open for?

SQ:  Oh man, Garth Brooks would be extraordinary.  I mean, he’s had some success (laughing).  Miranda Lambert, I love her. Reba would be really fun.

TC:  I think you and Reba would do really well.

SQ:  I think we’d go riding off into the sunset together (laughing harder)

TC:  Is it true that Dolly Parton messaged you about “Drinking With Dolly”?  (Stephanie Quayle song)

SQ:  I have a pink typed letter from Ms. Dolly Parton, and she just loved the song and can’t wait to celebrate together.  Can you just imagine the day I meet Dolly Parton?  I’ll probably just pass out.  I probably will, and I feel like that day’s coming. 

TC:  Dolly will be like, “Come on now”, doing mouth to mouth… (laughing)

SQ:  Dolly will probably slap me across the head, “Get up girl!” (everybody laughing).  I can’t wait, she is extraordinary.

TC:  Finally, since we’re Think Country, what do you think when YOU Think Country?

SQ:  I think of the community and the songs.  We create stories that we get to live and just share.  It’s awesome.

You can find Stephanie Quayle:

Website: stephaniequayle.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/stephaniequayle/

Twitter:  @StephanieQuayle

Instagram:  @stephaniequayle

Tags

Related Article