Tiona Campbell is Makin’ Cowboys Cry with her new release
By Alan Shipston for Country Music News International Magazine
Tiona Campbell has released her new single, Makin’ Cowboys Cry, a song seen through the eyes of this Texas country singer/ songwriter. Produced by Shane Mathews, he also contributed the drums, guitar and pedal steel, while Sarah Humphrey is on fiddle and Hillary Stanton sings background vocals. Electric guitars swirl through the intro as fiddle double stops play the hook that set ups the first verse. Tiona leans into the vocal singing about cowboys and honky tonk bars, while the band shakes out a county rhythm.
Small-town girl, Tiona Campbell, was born and raised in East Texas. She grew up listening to Amy Grant, Mariah Carey, Patsy Cline and all kinds of country music. Growing up in a musical family her mom was a singer and played piano, her dad was the sound man, and her brother was the drummer at their home church. After she graduated high school, she immediately got married, had kids and put music to the side. Seventeen years later, now living in Houston, TX, she was happy, but something was missing. Tiona got intentional about finding what that was and for the first time ever, began the song writing journey.
It’s been eight years and Tiona has written over 80 songs becoming a Houston and Nashville recording artist. She has opened up for small and big artist like Neal McCoy and Pat Green. She has released 18 songs and her Christmas original, Texas Country Christmas, has made a big impact in the community. Campbell has performed the National Anthem before the Houston Dynamo and Houston Rockets games. When she is home you will find her singing at the Rustic, Dosey Doe, Foundation Room, the Truck Yard and many local venues in Houston. Inspired by Nashville writer rounds she has created Homegrown, at Red Brick Tavern in Conroe, Texas, a song swap show where local singer songwriters can share their original songs.