New Jersey Stage published its 25,000th story in December 2021. As the site approached the milestone, we posed the question on social media as how we should celebrate.  One response was to highlight our favorite stories from over the years.  We liked this idea, but could not narrow things down to just 25 favorites so we will present a favorite each day from different genres. Every Monday we feature one of our favorite stories in music. This week's choice is an interview with Gordon Brown back in the early days of the band Williams Honor.

The interview was published on October 9, 2014 and is available here.

It's always been rare for an artist to get signed to a major record label. Gordon Brown, a talented songwriter from Long Branch, did it twice — in the late 1980s with Mr. Reality and again in the 2000s with Highway 9. Both bands featured a blend of country and rock and roll, creating a rather unique sound along the Jersey Shore. Now based in Nashville, the heart of the country music business, Gordon plays in Williams Honor with the charismatic lead singer, Reagan Richards.

In the interview, Gordon talks about how he and Reagan first met, what it feels like to be back playing music after working in other roles of the industry for several years, why he's never wanted to be a frontman, and how he has always walked a thin line between rock and roll and country with his music .