I have great passion for ‘country music’ – Stephen Rwang Pam

Jos-based Country music singer, radio show host and all-round country music enthusiast and promoter, Stephen Rwang Pam is taking his passion seriously. Having launched a website as rallying point for country music lovers, Stephen talked to Daily Trust about what made him go gaga for country music. Country music is very American. What about it […]

Jos-based Country music singer, radio show host and all-round country music enthusiast and promoter, Stephen Rwang Pam is taking his passion seriously. Having launched a website as rallying point for country music lovers, Stephen talked to Daily Trust about what made him go gaga for country music.
Country music is very American. What about it drew your interest?
Its beauty as it reflects sincerity and simplicity, aside from the simple fact that it’s moving.
When did your love affair with Country music start?
It stretches way back as long as I can remember…. Started at my early teens am sure.
Your radio show in Jos was very popular back in the days and made Country music even more popular. How did the idea come about and what did you take away from that show?
The show has been running years before I came on board. It had been anchored by some competent presenters in the persons of Captain Abraham Shama, John Kutcheti and Samson Omale. Naturally it was then time for me to come in. Well as a presenter; I am able to reach people’s hearts and mold their thinking. I tried making it one of the most popular and the most eventful radio shows on Peace 90.5 FM.
You have recorded a number of country songs yourself. Which was the first? And why did you decide to write that song?
I’ve recorded demos of a handful of songs which I mostly wrote most. Few of the songs were co-written by some two literary writers. We have been colleagues as members of the Association of Nigerian Authors, (ANA) Jos chapter. One of the songs was co-written by Irene Carew, five other songs were co-written by Kenana Taisir Najmiddin and she happened to be my guitar student back then. Two of those five songs are recorded demos. Before meeting them, I had dabbled into song writing. Of course there are a handful of reasons why songs are written. One of the reasons is to pass on a message, and another reason is to immortalize certain memories and so on – the reasons go on and on. In the case of my first serious country song titled “When She Looks”, is to keep some memories alive.
The fascinating thing about country music is that it is more or less like good short stories. Is this something that also appeals to you?
Yes that’s for sure! The main characteristic of Country songs among others is telling stories. That happened to be the kind of structure I had in having the title song I mentioned done.
You have plans to launch a website,  why do you think Nigerians should be interested in this?
That’s a tough question to answer but very interesting too. Well Nigeria as a nation and Nigerians as well have embraced a lot of foreign cultures with regards to a lot that has to do with the way we live now. You talk of architecture, cuisines, fashion, and methods of farming, sports and entertainment. Such adoptions are a result of the universal appeal such ideals have. It won’t be complete without Country music in Nigeria not having it as pure as it is from Nashville, Tennessee as well as the entire Dixieland. In communication and human relations, Country music teaches you to say good things the best way. It helps you retain your human naturalness and humane nature. The website is now reachable and I encourage everyone to visit.
You are not only singing Country, or promoting Country. You are living the life. What is it about the country way that makes you passionate about it?
Another tough and interesting question. If you visit our cities and towns, they’re not well planned. More to that, we have a lot of conservation issues in Nigeria not well attended to. Farming issues need to be properly addressed. How our natural and human resources are explored and exploited positively is an integral part of country living. Tourism is Country life and living. I am passionate about seeing all these put together for the common good. Some of these American Country music superstars keep sacrificing a lot in their lives to promote the enhancement of such good conditions. The likes of Ed Bruce promoting tourism, Kenny Rogers and photography, Miranda Lambert and pet love and protection, Don Williams and farming and Willie Nelson and his famous Farm Aid movement fighting the good fight for the local farmers. Oh, by the way, this past August, 2015 came with me writing and composing a song in honor of Willie Nelson’s guitar which he calls ‘Trigger.’  It’s done and I will soon record a demo of it. Here in Calabar, we have Peter Jenkins (an American with his partner and team) already aiding in the rehabilitation of the Drill monkeys for years now. They keep them to breed and release them back into the wild. That’s for animal conservation; land issues are also there for us to face and deal with.
We use to binge on Don Williams and Kenny Rogers and the other greats of Country. Now we have artistes like Taylor Swift and Shania Twain trying to make Country mainstream. How do you see this panning out?
Well it’s a way to go. They are hybrids as I can say. I am a little bit of that too… just a bit. Millions of listeners are supporting their revolution. We get to have some conference discussions with some Country fans and promoters around the world. Willie El Briscoe, Jeremy Nwuya, Willie Mae Sturgil, Shanna Elizabeth Long from the U.S; Nick J Cort and Merisa Jasmin in Europe and Romilyn Valeroso – an upcoming Country music artiste from Asia.  Three consummate writers and poets from Nigeria – Barrister Ahmed Maiwada, Lyn Zakama and David Martins Nlonam. They all express the dynamism and harmony old and new Country music has as the genre spans through the decades. Taylor Swift has drifted off to pop now but artistes like Brad Paisley, Jason Aldine, Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Martina McBride, Randy Houser, Carrie Underwood, Holly Dunn, LeeAnn Womack, Hunter Heyes, Keith Urban, Sheryll Craw and many more are keeping it mainstream and it’s panning out right.
Is Stephen Rwang Pam launching a Country music album anytime soon?
Yes! That’s something to look forward to.
Considering that in Nigeria, Country music doesn’t enjoy much airtime on the radio, do you think it has a place in the Nigerian music scene?
Back in America, in the early years of country music’s emergence on radio, Country music wasn’t making it into any charts. By 1976, the Country outlaw movement with a powerful combination of Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter and Tompall Glaser came on board with their revolutionary trend and they had the first Country album that made a platinum hit. Yes! Over a million copies sold. It broke the mold and other Country songs started making the charts. Countless songs amongst others… I’d like to mention two; ‘Islands in the Stream’ performed by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton and ‘Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning’ – performed by Alan Jackson. Waylon Jennings as an individual also came with the first album that made a platinum hit in country music history. That was in 1978 and two years later, his greatest hit album went quadruple platinum. Hank Williams happened to be the first Country artiste to have pop singers who were known stars started singing songs he wrote and performed in a country way. By the year 2012 until now, Country music became the biggest selling genre on the planet earth. As you know, not having a Country music show on some radio station’s program parade can never suggest that Country music has no passionate Nigerian listeners. The fans and listeners are just never given the opportunity by having a slot on any of those radio stations. Jos is the city of sound… real sound, pretty much like Nashville, Tennessee. Trust Plateau State for what it has done back in history for making sports and pure entertainment popular and acceptable. Trust Jos for what she’s doing now and yet to do. Country music is emerging from there and spreading out. Country music does have a place in the Nigerian music scene. That for sure must be proven. It’s a genre of music that is appreciated by people from all the different ethnic groups we have in Nigeria as well individuals from all religious groups. My fans on the country music radio show are from all these backgrounds. 
What is the country music scene like in Nigeria. Is it something that gives you hope or do you think there is so much more that can be done?
For the Country music scene in Nigeria? Talking from experience as a radio presenter and a performer, there’s so much to be done and there’s hope for every good listener. There’s so much brewing and incubation underneath and there’s bound to be an explosion.