• ‘John Wayne’ is about ranching life, love.
“It seems like every girl is looking for a cowboy” — the beginning words to a country western single being released by local artist Jamie Nield.
The native of a ranch outside Afton will soon record and release her new single, “John Wayne,” bringing to fruition her desire to use her music to share the lifestyle she loves.
“Growing up on a ranch, you have these songs that paint the lifestyle that we live in such a beautiful manner,” Nield recently told SVI Media. “Being able to share, that’s something I’ve wanted — how much we love this kind of life.”
The 25-year-old’s new single, about the struggle of a cowgirl to find a cowboy, will be recorded and released this summer on Spotify and other general streaming services. She expressed gratitude to Brenn Hill and Michael Horne for the recording being done in Utah, with Hill adding vocals and instrumentation.
“There are so many different sub-genres with country western,” said the new musician, “but it comes down to the basics. Family, faith, history and the natural world are what tie it all together.”
Nield hopes her music will bridge some of the disconnect between animal husbandry and the kitchen table. “Most of my friends aren’t involved in the ranching industry. That kind of lifestyle isn’t super common. Being able to share that with country western music is so much fun. It’s been a blast.”
The new single started “as a fun song” between roommates at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. “’John Wayne’ is mostly a song about dating in the western world, the cowboy world. In college, you’re dating a lot, you sometimes get your heart broken. At this point, we’d all had our hearts broken. We had this idea about this John Wayne character you’d like to date and marry. That’s how it came about. So, we came up with “he ain’t no John Wayne.”
The “we” to whom Nield referred were her roommates, Cassie Hunsaker and Kinley Erickson. “It was so much fun to put it all together,” Nield recalled.
Ironically, the three seem to be doing fine in their search for their John Wayne. Hunsaker is now married, and Nield is engaged to Bryant Dimond. “Kinley is working on it,” Nield said, chuckling.
For now, as she prepares for her Aug. 4 nuptials, Nield is working on more songs about her favorite subject — the ranch life. The long-haired brunette was raised on Dee Mill Iron Cattle Company (Ranch) just off Nield Avenue. Her parents are Joe and Kaylynn Nield, owners of the Dee Mill company.
Some local folks have already enjoyed “John Wayne,” including at the recent 4-H and FFA fundraiser at the Ford Theatre. “They loved it,” Nield said of the audience. “They got a kick out of it. A lot of people can relate. It’s a struggle of life and love and the struggle to find someone — especially in the ranching world. You have to either find someone in it or someone who wants to be part of it.”
