One of the biggest buzzes in Nashville the past few months has been the success of Black River Entertainment. The label has helped Craig Morgan enjoy a huge hit at radio with “This Ol’ Boy,” and they look to do the same with Glen Templeton’s new single, “Sing That Song Again.”
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The Alabama native has said that music has always been a huge part of his psyche. “I’m not sure I chose country music. In a way, I think it chose me. I probably had ten or eleven jobs from the time I got out of high school until the time I moved to Nashville. I think I was probably fired ten or eleven times, too,” he jokes, allowing that his inability to keep a job stemmed from the late nights honing his craft in the clubs.
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One job that stuck for Templeton came in 2008, as he was hand-picked by the family of Conway Twitty to portray the singer in “It’s Only Make Believe,” the traveling musical that was based on his life.
The singer has fond memories of playing the Country Music Hall of Fame member. “I did that for about two years. It was quite an honor,” he told Billboard. The musical gave him a worthwhile lesson about sticking to your guns musically. “It taught me the lesson that there was only going to be one Conway Twitty. If I was ever going to make it in the music business, I was going to have to record music that was a symbol of who I was.”
In making the radio rounds to promote the single, Templeton says that “You don’t know what to expect, but I’m very passionate about the song.” Before he released the single this spring, Black River sent him on an extended radio tour, so he feels he has some relationships already in place. “We laid out a lot of groundwork, and I believe we’ve represented the music and the label to a point that that they will go ‘We remember him.’ That’s half the battle,” he says, also admitting that “It’s also kind of scary. We’re up for rejection all the time. You just have to stay persistent and keep working.”
Later this year, Templeton is slated to release his debut album. Industry insiders are excited about the music, especially the powerful “Sinner’s Prayer.” Of the song, he says “It is exactly what it is — a sinner’s prayer put to music. When I first heard it, it was one of those songs that really hit home. It sounded like it had a lot of Southern Baptist vibe to it. That’s one of the things that stuck out to me. I think it’s a song that at some point, everyone has lived.
Where would Templeton like to see himself in the future? “I’d love to have some chart success, and see the fan base grow. I’d also like to maintain good health, and do what I love to do. I don’t think I could ask for any more than that.”
The singer will be performing his single on the June 17 edition of Fox & Friends, live from New York City, and will be doing a special Fathers’ Day performance of “That’s My Job,” a 1987 hit for… Conway Twitty.