Wednesday Video Spotlight: Oklahoma-born and bred singer-songwriter Amber Hayes contributes to “Cowgirls N’ Angels”
Country singer-songwriter Amber Hayes, a Weleetka native, contributed three songs and made her cinematic debut playing a honky-tonk singer in the Oklahoma-made family film “Cowgirls N’ Angels,” now in state and regional theaters.
The soundtrack features Hayes’ uplifting anthem “Right as Rain,” the lively toe-tapper “C’mon” and the father-daughter ballad “Always There for Me,” which she co-wrote just for the movie and recorded as a duet with former Lonestar frontman Richie McDonald.
The debut feature from director/co-writer Timothy Armstrong, “Cowgirls N’ Angels” tells the tale of young Ida Clayton (Bailee Madison), a sassy small-town Oklahoma girl who longs to know her father, a rodeo rider she’s never met. While searching for her dad at the local arena, she connects with the Sweethearts of the Rodeo, a female trick riding team led by rodeo legend Terence Parker (Oscar nominee James Cromwell). Recognizing that Ida has a natural affinity for horses and a strong desire to belong somewhere, Terence recruits the girl into the Sweethearts.
The production used a 35 percent Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate, administered by the state, according to the state Film and Music Office. It also was eligible to receive an additional 2 percent offered by the state for including music in the film created by Oklahomans. Several Oklahoma musicians and actors were part of making the movie.
Hayes first got involved with “Cowgirls N’ Angels” when she was preparing to make the video for her single “Wait” with director Steven Goldmann. Goldmann passed her name and music to the movie’s producers and made introductions when Hayes traveled to Los Angeles to film the video.
“I thought, ‘OK, having three songs in a movie, that’s gonna be cool.’ But actually being in the movie is just an added bonus,” she told me in a recent interview. “They could’ve had somebody else come and do it and just used the music. But I’m glad that they asked me to come in and get involved.”
To read more of my interview with Hayes, click here, and then check out these videos from Hayes and a “Cowgirls N’ Angels” trailer featuring “C’mon.”
Plus, look for my review of the soundtrack Friday in The Oklahoman, on NewsOK and here at BAM’s Blog.
-BAM
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I really enjoyed your article about Amber. It was great to hear some of the side stories and behind the scene stuff! She’s making Oklahoma proud and thank you for a great article! Everyone should take advantage and load the kids ip and go see this clean, heart warming , feel good movie!