Pamela Hopkins has continually built on the solid foundation of her breakthrough single “Givin’ A Damn (Don’t Go With My Outfit),” which has led to a tremendous 2022 with strong, highly acclaimed singles such as “Straight Shooter” and “One More Last Kiss.” To cap off the already stellar year, she’s released her latest effort “Squirrel Train,” a fun, upbeat song that sees her infusing an intriguing bluegrass touch into her vibey country style. We had the chance to catch up with Pamela and talk with her about the new single, what we can expect from her in 2023, performing shows for the troops and what it means to her and her husband to do that, and much more!

(Interview by: Jeffrey Kurtis) 

1) Tell us a little bit about your newest single “Squirrel Train.”

This was an idea I had because I call my band the “Pamela Hopkins and the Squirrel Train Band.”  I can be so scattered at times that I make fun of myself and since my band has to follow some of the crazy directions I take them, it seemed like a fitting name for the guys I play music with. Dave and Scott and I were chatting about what to write and I mentioned how I’d like to write a funny tune about me and my ADD/ADHD…so we started to craft a story about my tendencies, and I thought, ‘well, I know a lot of people who can relate.” So it seemed like a great idea to go ahead and cut the song for release. I think it is such a fun song and we had a lot of fun writing it.

2) You mentioned co-writing the song with Scott Barrier and Dave Lenahan, who also wrote with you on “Givin’ A Damn (Don’t Go With My Outfit).” What type of comfort level is there with writing with Dave (and Scott) that has helped your vision for this song become exactly what you wanted it to be?

I think they know more about me than they want to. I am an open book and just have no filter about myself, so I am very comfortable with them, and I think they feel the same way!

3) There is a decisive bluegrass flavor to the song, which is something we haven’t heard from your past few releases. What made you want to incorporate those sounds into this song to give us something unexpectedly fresh and different from your norm?

I think I wanted to go that direction because of the content of the song. That fast train beat and knee slapping, bluegrass country sound just seemed to fit the whirlwind of a mess that is in my head a lot of times, so I wanted a more balls to the wall drive to the song and you can’t always get that with traditional country music…so bluegrass sounds seemed to fit it way better!

4) The song follows “Straight Shooter.” Why did you feel that it was the perfect follow-up song?

I don’t know that it was the ‘perfect follow-up song,’ but more starting a new musical chapter. My last 2 songs were set in a bar atmosphere and were more mid-tempo and I wanted a really upbeat song going into the winter where everything seems to be more sentimental. I guess I thought I’d go against the grain a bit by going with a more silly, funny, tap-your-toes type of song verses releasing a Christmas or holiday song.

5) You had a really strong 2022 with several solid releases -  “Givin’ A  Damn (Don’t Go With My Outfit),” “One More Last Kiss,” “Back When,” etc – As you open your next chapter, is “Squirrel Train” a stand alone single for right now, or part of a bigger project you’re working on?

I think when we write, I don’t mean for the songs to necessarily fit with one another—I don’t plan my thoughts out that far. BUT, it seems that when I have ideas and when we write, there is a theme for a few songs.  So “Squirrel Train” is about me (my ways and tendencies and a side of me some people may not know).  When I think about what I have recorded already, that hasn’t been released, a song called “Me Being Me,” written by Jim Femino (Vickie McGehee and D. Vincent Williams), is also is about me—which is strange because Jim (nor the other writers) knew me when they wrote it—but it IS definitely about ME! (Lol) Jim pitched it to me before covid and I loved it so much that I decided to record it 2 years ago.  It has just been sitting and I finally recorded my background vocals on it…so I may release it this next year—who knows? Dave Lenahan, Melissa Leigh and I wrote “Raised Some Hell,” which is about my dad and his fighter spirit (which I also have) and how he raised me to be the same way. It is getting recorded next month along with “I Love You Most.” I plan for the release to be a week or two before Valentines Day. Obviously, it’s a love song.  This one was written by Dave Lenahan and myself. This song is very special to me since it is about my love relationship.

6) That all said, what all can we expect from you throughout 2023? New music, new album, EP, etc...

I have the 3 songs I mentioned above releasing next year as single releases.  By the time my third one is released, I hope to have already recorded my fourth and fifth songs.  Once I have eight singles released, I’ll put them in an album and release them again as such.  The first song on the next album will start with “One Too Many,” that I released earlier this year.

7) You’ve earned tremendous accolades for your recent duets with Jason Lee Campbell and Matt Dame. Are more duets in the works for future releases? If so, can you tell us with who yet? 

So far I do not have any duets in the works…that may change though—who knows?

8) We talked last time about your husband Jason and his service in our armed forces, and how you perform shows for our troops every year. Can you tell us about the shows you played this year for the troops and what they meant to both you and Jason in comparison to previous years?

This past year I have been to the Fairbanks, AK area…2 different times (March and August), I did a dueling piano show in March and my band played in August. I also performed in Guam at both bases with my band. I spent 3 weeks in October, performing in Japan, Guam and Hawaii again. Then I just returned from Bahrain and Honduras. Next year, I am already scheduled to perform in South Korea and Hawaii—I think Guam again, as well.  One of the tours is in March and one is in June/July for 4^th of July celebrations on the bases.

The shows are always special to me because the troops are always very appreciative of us being there.  We want them to know that they are not forgotten and are very appreciated for their service and sacrifice! Jason supports me being gone to give back because he knows what it means to those troops are away from home.

9) Another cool thing that’s happened since we last chatted, is that you earned a sponsorship with Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey. How did that all come together?

I drink it, I love the taste and how smooth it goes down.  Michael Stover with MTS helped me get in contact with them and well, I just bugged them a lot for about 6-7 months and proved to them that I was a huge supporter of their product. I have featured Skrewball in 2 of my music videos (1 before the sponsorship “Little Things,” and 1 after the sponsorship “One More Last Kiss”).  I have Skrewball featured in my newest music video that will release soon, “Straight Shooter.”

10) What one piece of advice can you offer to someone who is just starting out and trying to break into the music industry?

Write your own music if you can…even if you just have ideas, write them down and start networking with other songwriters and finish them.  Also, learn an instrument so that you can accompany yourself.  You can find a lot of paying gigs and keep more of your money if you do all the playing and singing yourself.

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