Tenille Townes: Intro, Outro and Story Behind the Song audio to support “Jersey on the Wall” (Audio)
Tenille Townes: “Jersey on the Wall is inspired by a community that I met in Grand Manan, New Brunswick. I had been playing for schools, traveling across Canada before moving to Nashville and my adventures brought me to this tiny little town. It’s like 2500 people off this island, which is like planes, trains, automobiles and a ferry to get to. I show up at this island and I was completely enamored by the community spirit that this group of people had. Showed up in the gym, played for the school, played a little community show that night where all the parents and teachers came out. And then, Ms. Ward, the teacher brought me back to the inn that they had me staying at and explained that part of the reason they brought me all the way out there was to be part of this grieving process. There’d recently been this car accident with five kids from that high school, four of which I had been hanging out with all day and had no idea what they had just been through. And one of which, her name was Danielle- she was the star basketball player. She just graduated with a full ride scholarship and she was taken in this fluke wreck. I sat there and like wept with Ms. Ward and was even more enamored with by this town after hearing everything that they had ben through. And, kept in touch with them. I got to fly back the following spring. Ms. Ward and I worked out so I could surprise the kids for the high school graduation. And, I’ll never forget sitting at the back of that gym with the whole town piled in there- it was like 20 kids graduating- best kind of graduation ever. And, Danielle’s parents get up there on that stage and give their daughter’s honorarium scholarship to Zoe who was her best friend and also in the car that night. And, there’s not a dry eye in this place. And, I’ll never forget kind of glancing over to the wall and you know looking up at that Jersey and seeing that number and just thinking ‘Man, do I have questions for God.’ I really think it’s ok to have those. I think there’s healing in the conversation itself, but I just remember thinking this is the most amazing group of people and… I think tragedy anywhere is something horrible, but tragedy in a small town is really something else. And, I feel like I carry this spirit of that gym every time I sing this song. But yeah, I came back to Nashville after that trip and shortly afterwards one of my best friends from lost her little brother and it got me asking a bunch more questions. And, I got sit in the writing room with Tina Parole and Gordie Sampson and tell them these stories and I’m so thankful for the way the song found us in the room that day. I think it was a bit of a wrestle and I think when the song was we all looked at one another and went ‘this is pretty cool.’ I’m very thankful for that day and this song and a way to hopefully bring a little bit of, maybe some healing in the way people having those same questions because I really think we all have them.”
Hey Tenille Townes here and this is my new single. Here’s Jersey on the Wall (I’m Just Asking).
I’m Tenille Townes and that was my new single, Jersey on the Wall (I’m Just Asking).
