Radio Or Not, Here Comes Ashley McBryde
It sure would be swell if those bastards at corporate country radio would play some of Ashley McBryde’s songs. After all, she’s sent some gems their way that would really gussy up the airwaves. “A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega” and “Girl Goin’ Nowhere” are some of the most touching tracks to be released on a major label in quite a while, but they only managed a whimper at radio, coming in at #30 and #40 respectively. McBryde’s latest single “One Night Standards” from her upcoming new album is pretty darn solid too, but has also stalled at radio, despite a valiant push from her label Warner Music Nashville—one of the things some mainstream women don’t always enjoy with their radio singles.
But screw it. If Ashley McBryde can’t make it on radio, she will find some other way to get her music to the people. Just like Kacey Musgraves did with her record Golden Hour—which despite radio’s non participation still found its way through the noise to critical acclaim—Ashley McBryde has taken her quality songs and almost universal favorability that crosses the line between mainstream and independent, and turned it into awards show nominations and hardware that has side stepped the radio paradigm and put her straight in front of listeners.
Competing in a field with multiple radio-supported stars like Morgan Wallen and Midland, Ashley McBryde walked away with the CMA’s 2019 New Artist of the Year award last week, surprising many. But this was not her first awards recognition. You may forget, but Ashley McBryde also won the ACM’s New Female Vocalist of the Year back in April, and was nominated for the Grammy for Best Country Album last year. Then this week her song “Girl Goin’ Nowhere” picked up 2020 Grammy nominations for Best Country Song, and Best Country Solo Performance. Radio might not be paying attention to Ashley McBryde, but the voting public is.
And they’re not alone. A while back Luke Combs announced the opening 10 dates on his 2020 What You See Is What You Get tour, and has tapped Ashley McBryde as an opener. This pairing will put McBryde on a big stage and in front of the kind of audience that will find appeal in her music. She also just announced nine dates on her own One Night Standards tour to go along with a slew of other dates she already has on the calendar, and multiple festival appearances next summer.
Radio play is nice and all, and usually essential if your a major label artist. But it’s not the only way forward. Giving too much credence to that dying medium is foolish, while the independent radio stations around the country and world who don’t report into mainstream country’s radio charts tend to support Ashley McBryde and others just fine. Artists like Ashley McBryde are proving there’s other ways forward that aren’t spending 6 or 7 figures on radio promotional campaigns only to have major radio still not play your single. You can sit around and cuss all day about the silliness and inequality of country radio, or you can roll up your sleeves and get to work on a better alternative.
The best stuff tends to find its way to the surface, regardless of the obstacles put in its way, especially if an artist is dogged and determined and talented as Ashley McBryde. Radio might not be there for her, but the grassroots are, and from traditionalists, to Americana fans, to Eric Church’s country rock listeners, they like what they hear from Ashley McBryde, even if they don’t hear it on the radio.
Opening Dates with Luke Combs:
Feb. 7 – Columbia, MO – Mizzou Arena
Feb. 8 – Peoria, IL – Peoria Civic Center
Feb. 13 – University Park, PA – Bryce Jordan Center
Feb. 14 – Lexington, KY – Rupp Arena
Feb. 15 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena
April 18 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
April 19 – Colorado Springs, CO – Broadmoor World Arena
April 21 – Las Cruces, NM – Pan American Center
April 24 – Corpus Christi, TX – American Bank Center
April 25 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
New Ashley McBryde Headliner Dates:
Jan. 30 – Birmingham, AL – Saturn
Jan. 31 – Oxford, MS – The Lyric Oxford
Feb. 28 – Athens, GA – Georgia Theatre
Feb. 29 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse
March. 7 – Indianapolis, IN – 8 Seconds Saloon
March 19 – Lincoln, NE – Bourbon Theatre
March 21 – Madison, WI – Majestic Theatre
March 28 – Mobile, AL – Soul Kitchen
April 23 – Helotes, TX – Floore’s Country Kitchen
D
November 21, 2019 @ 8:45 am
Floore’s in Helotes not called Floore’s country kitchen. C’mon.
Double D
November 21, 2019 @ 11:44 am
Probably worth skipping the show because of the name, more room for the rest of us.
Melissa W
November 21, 2019 @ 9:04 am
Opening up for Luke Combs I think is going to be huge for her. Sure would be nice if the Grammy’s give her a full performance spot too. I think that will be huge for her as well. As much as I hate & don’t watch award shows there are still a ton of people who do. Selling/ streaming #s always seem to increase by a huge margin for award show performers.
She has some great youtube videos signing some of her songs acoustic. She’s talented and great, strong/ country voice. Watching her acoustic videos a yr or two ago is what made me a fan.
Trigger
November 21, 2019 @ 2:38 pm
I think it’s going to be tough for Ashley to secure a performance slot of the Grammy’s, but we’ll see. I think Yola might have a better change because she’s nominated for the all genre New Artist of the Year. Will be interesting to see who they pick from country for performances.
Loretta Twitty
November 21, 2019 @ 9:59 am
I love her voice. I would love the new album to bring in something different production wise (not so Jay Joyce) .
Charlie
November 21, 2019 @ 10:03 am
I’ve never drug my ass into the 8 Seconds Saloon, but that show on March 7 might need to be the first time.
AT
November 21, 2019 @ 12:46 pm
8 Seconds is the least-favorite venue I’ve ever been to. Completely filthy. Sticky floors, beer spilled everywhere, etc. Headliners don’t usually come on til 11 pm…so a lot of patrons have consumed a lot of alcohol at that point. I watched a girl pour an entire beer down another girl, simply because she thought the girl took her spot in the pit area. It wasn’t worth it to me to have to stand for hours and deal with the rude and drunken people.
scott
November 21, 2019 @ 1:18 pm
Well, I was gonna ask how the place was, so you two have convinced me this is probably not my kind of bar. 30 years ago, yeah. Now, not so much.
AT
November 21, 2019 @ 1:48 pm
It’s definitely not my kind of place to see a show. There are plenty of entertaining Yelp reviews out there, though.
KathyP
November 21, 2019 @ 7:41 pm
Don’t expect much but the acoustics are pretty good. not a bad “seat” in the main room. Been about 5 years since I’ve been there though.
Di Harris
November 21, 2019 @ 3:15 pm
Love how 8 Seconds advertises as a Rough & Ready bar.
Not a bar person, but think will get some friends together and try to make that show.
I bet it will be great.
Leigh Janes
November 21, 2019 @ 10:09 am
Saw her on Miranda’s Roadside Bars & Pink Guitars tour & many around me became fans. So excited to watch as more and more people are introduced to her!
CeeCeeBee
November 21, 2019 @ 2:36 pm
Same here. She REALLY connected with the audience. A tour with Luke Combs is going to expose her to SO many more people.
Chris
November 21, 2019 @ 10:34 am
Ashley McBryde is an excellent artist. She’s got that rock influence, but she puts out real quality material and you can hear her passion and sincerity in her songs.
Daniel Jackett
November 21, 2019 @ 12:04 pm
You forgot to mention Ashley’s best song, American Scandal
Shawn D Leggett
November 21, 2019 @ 4:39 pm
She has so many I love. Right now, Leroy and Home Sweet Highway are my faves.
barky
November 21, 2019 @ 12:46 pm
She is deserving of a much better routing for her solo shows.
albert
November 21, 2019 @ 1:33 pm
sometimes the best thing a REAL artist as talented as this has going for them is the validation given by other artists and the industry and not just mainstream ( radio ) exposure . stapleton comes to mind of course , as do many many great songwriters . a friend attended an erin enderlin radio show last week and sent me a copy of her new album ( reviewed on SCM , I believe ? ). its a clinic …..people who CARE know this and share it with others and so on and so on . ashely will attain all the success she deserves because people are sharing it and passing it on even if the mainstream isn’t .
we see this on a regular basis now . country radio is almost completely out of touch with what is really going on . and in fact i’d argue that people’s intolerance for the mainstream sub-standard is actually fueling the rise of the far better ‘ unknown ‘ options almost by default . the worse radio gets , the better ashley and others sound .
jeannie
November 21, 2019 @ 2:05 pm
I’m rooting for Ashley. Was so happy when our girl Miranda included her out on her tour. Infact many in our town knew Ashley before she became The Real Artist. So happy for her.. Heard our two DJ’s say after her CMA Award”She sat right over there in the window with her guitar”.
Anthony
November 21, 2019 @ 4:32 pm
Her songs range from good to amazing, she has bucket loads of mystique and charisma, and unlike 95 percent of mainstream contemporary artists, I actually think she’s an interesting person.
Andrew
November 21, 2019 @ 5:31 pm
She is a real one. and Girl Goin Nowhere thoughtful, well-written album that we spin regularly. Other folks have spoken eloquently above about why she’s so compelling, but a big piece of it I don’t see already discussed is that she seems to truly love and understand *good* country music.
Jake Smith
November 22, 2019 @ 5:07 am
Saw her in the UK a few months ago, awesome show. Definitely felt more like a rock show than a country show, which is fine by me! She said her second album is done, so guessing in early 2020 we will hear it, hope it delivers
c
November 23, 2019 @ 2:43 am
I absolutely love her. She’s one of my favorites right now and I hope she continues to get the attention and recognition she deserves. I do agree that radio isn’t everything, but it’s still not right that women continue to be played so little. She, and many other great women, should be all over the air waves, and it’s a shame that they are not. Hopefully, people will continue to find her music through other ways, like this website or award shows.