TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Tonya Watts has been living in Los Angeles for nine years, but when the opportunity arose for her to help out the major college in her home state, she jumped at the chance.
The young country star, a native of Glencoe, Ala., is the voice behind the song in The University of Alabama’s “Dream A Little” recruitment campaign. The first version of UA’s “Dream a Little” 30-second commercial spot aired in the fall of 2001 during televised football games and was produced by Grammy Award-winning country artist Deana Carter. Tom Stipe, UA director of Broadcast Marketing and Media in the Office of University Relations, co-wrote the song.
Watts views the campaign as the most important contribution she has made in her music career thus far, and delights in the fact that she can help young people in her native state realize their dreams while she lives out her own. “Dream a Little is a very big deal to me. The University of Alabama has always been important to me and my family, and we have taken the opportunity to help the University very seriously,” the promising star said.
Of course, her family’s ‘crimson’ influence only helped inspire her more. “My dad’s one of these guys who has a ‘Bear Bryant room’ with the Alabama paintings and a pool table, and everything. I think it’s very cool that I can give back to UA and my family is very proud,” she said.
Watts always knew she loved singing, but never knew she would make a living doing it until recently. “I always loved to sing even as a little girl, but I never dreamed I would be doing it for the rest of my life,” the singer said.
Her big break came in 1997 at RiverFest, a summer outdoor music festival in Gadsden, when she opened for the renowned country music group, Alabama. “That’s when I knew I’d made it. I had always been such a big fan of theirs, and even though I had been out of the state for a few years I knew that by coming back and playing with them this was something that I could do for a long time,” she said.
Her work has contributed to a new country music movement on the West Coast, as well. “It’s sort of a mix between country and what I call ‘cowboy rock’. It’s such a new thing out here and people just can’t get enough of it,” Watts related. “It’s bigger here now than it is in Nashville, because in Nashville there’s competition with alternative and pop, but country is taking L.A. by storm. I’m more country than anything.”
Watts has lived in New York City and Los Angeles, and has traveled to countless other places during her career, yet she realizes that while it’s a step forward in her career to live in such influential places for her industry, a piece of Alabama is still left inside of her. “Alabama is where I got my start, and it’s where I developed my love for music. Moving away was a culture shock, but I can’t forget what Alabama means to me as far as my music is concerned.
“It’s been a beautiful journey, and I’ve made so many sacrifices, but if I could tell the people out in Alabama one thing, it’s that you just have to realize your dream and be your dream. Anything can happen.”
Every time “Dream A Little” is played on a commercial, it’s a safe assumption that somewhere in California a proud Alabamian is living out her own dream.
Contact
Chad Gilbert or Linda Hill, Office of Media Relations, 205/348-8325, lhill@ur.ua.edu