Thompson Square Celebrate Success With a ‘Kiss’

Thompson Square were the guests of honor at a party at Nashville's performing rights' organization, BMI, on Tuesday (May 3), to mark the chart-topping success of their first No. 1 song, 'Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not.'

The success the duo are receiving is made a little sweeter by the fact they have been working so hard to pay their dues. Keifer Thompson explained that it was a 13-year "overnight success" for he and his wife, Shawna, who met and fell in love in 1996 and began pursuing a record deal less than a year later.

"It's been an amazing hard road, a few ups and a lot of downs," Keifer tells The Boot, "and we're just very happy to be here."

When they were putting together their self-titled debut album, the two knew they had to include this song, even though they didn't write it. "The first time we heard it, we fell in love with it," Keifer explains. "We knew we had to record it. It was semi-autobiographical. We just gravitated towards it ... We were definitely blessed to get a hold of it."

The pair actually lived out the song, which has sold more than 500,000 downloads, long before it was written. "I was laying on Shawna's lap in her apartment in 1996 right after we both moved to town, and guys don't always do so well with reading the signs," Keifer recalls. "Shawna started reaching out her neck a little bit farther, a little bit farther."

"I gave him a pretty obvious sign," laughs Shawna.

"I finally figured it out," her adoring husband continues. "I went ahead and closed the deal there."

Many of their family members came in for the bash, including Keifer's sister, niece (who appears in the video for the song), his aunt and uncle, and most especially his parents. "My mom and dad, I definitely wanted them here because they've supported me 100% in everything I've ever done," the one-time bartender says, conveying his utmost gratitude. "This is just another step in the process. It's not sitting in the stands during a rain storm for a football or a soccer game, but it is just another step, so I wanted to make sure they were here."

In fact, during the party, the duo started crying tears of joy, especially when they handed their parents plaques commemorating the occasion.

The song was written by David Lee Murphy and Jim Collins (the hitmakers behind 'Big Green Tractor'), and the two veteran tunesmiths could not have been more complimentary of the newcomers. "They did a great job," David Lee tells The Boot. "Vocally, they nailed it, and they're a fresh new act. The video came off really good, and I think they were just a perfect group to record that song. We were really lucky."

"They're coming from the right place too," adds Jim. "They love what they do, and they love each other. You can tell they're so excited, and their energy comes through."

The husband and wife duo, who are heading up the charts with their new single 'I Got You,' are getting ready to hit the road with Jason Aldean on the summer leg of his My Kinda Party tour, kicking off in Milwaukee, Wis., July 8.