Independent Country On Her Own Terms

Transcript

Cold Open And Big Welcome

SPEAKER_02 0:01

It's starting. It's starting.

SPEAKER_00 0:02

It's starting. It's starting. Starting right now. I'm so starting. You're starting again on my nerves.

SPEAKER_02 0:07

Just start, I'd say, just start.

SPEAKER_00 0:10

Starting now. Starting now. We are starting now. Hello, everybody. It's Skip Clark, and welcome to another edition of the Skip Happens Podcast. And um, I gotta say, today's guest, she has the voice, the stage presence, and the independent spirit to build a country music career on our own terms. And that's as we were just talking. And I'll explain why I said that was like the way to go and the way to do it. Her latest album uh carries the perfect title. It's called Wineland. It's personal, powerful, and packed with country storytelling, a bit of rock energy, some love, a little bit of heartbreak. And I think this young lady's got a whole lot of attitude, which I absolutely love. Uh, it's time to crank it up, and here we go, ladies and gentlemen. Please welcome to Skip Happens, Miss Ashley Wineland. Ashley, how are you?

SPEAKER_01 0:59

I'm doing good. What an introduction. I love that. Thank you for having me today.

SPEAKER_00 1:04

I I told you, I warned you. I go, you know, I'm not your usual podcast guy. I just, you know, I get a little crazy at times, and I like to have a lot of fun with this. And I really enjoy talking to artists like yourself. And for anybody that uh hasn't hasn't followed me or you know, checked me out on the air or even online, you can go to Skip Happens on YouTube and you'll see all the big stars. And

Touring Life In A New York Lot

SPEAKER_00 1:28

now we've got this one to add to the list, uh Ashley Weineland. And uh Ashley, where are you? You're like, where are you in a bus? No, wait a minute. You're in a camper.

SPEAKER_01 1:36

Currently, yeah, currently inside our touring reg, um, doing this interview parked inside of a love's parking lot somewhere here in New York. Don't ask me exactly where I didn't look that close.

SPEAKER_00 1:49

Wait a minute, you are in New York State? I am, yes. No way. You could be right outside my door, you could be over in the Love's parking lot at the corner.

SPEAKER_01 1:58

I could be. I you know, like I said, I didn't exactly open up my maps to know exactly where I'm at. I could just tell you, I'm in a parking lot of a gas station right now, living the life.

SPEAKER_00 2:08

You got somebody driving that for you.

SPEAKER_01 2:10

Oh, absolutely. Yeah, God bless you.

SPEAKER_00 2:13

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight, so to speak.

SPEAKER_01 2:16

So to speak, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:17

Yeah, yeah. Tell me a little bit uh about your history. Um, where are you from? Arizona, correct? But where?

SPEAKER_01 2:23

Yep. Born and raised in Arizona, Glendale, Arizona, to be exact. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:28

It's it's usually really hot there, right?

SPEAKER_01 2:31

It's like 117 there right now. So I'm really grateful that we're not there at the moment.

SPEAKER_00 2:37

Have you um we're talking about the weather in Arizona where you say it's 117 degrees. Not to be funny, but um a lot of people say that's like a dry heat. So it may be 117, but without the humidity, you really it doesn't feel like 117. Is that true?

SPEAKER_01 2:55

I I feel like I how I always describe it to people is it's the difference between being a baked potato and a steamed carrot. You're just like, all right, I feel the heat, I feel its intensity. You just the sweat just comes right off of you, though, because it's already evaporated by that point. It doesn't stay with you like it does over here in the East Coast.

SPEAKER_00 3:16

Oh my goodness. Is this the first time you've been to the East Coast or have you been up through here before?

SPEAKER_01 3:21

No, I've been through uh for the very first time, we actually had the pleasure of playing in New York last year. So this is year two for me. Yeah, so I'm very happy that we got to expand our schedule out this way this year. Got more shows on the books. Um, so I'm really happy and looking forward to the next couple weeks out here on the East Coast.

SPEAKER_00 3:40

Well, I can tell you we're very excited. I'm thinking about making the trip out to see you. You're gonna be in a town we call Chitnango, which is just outside Syracuse. You are at a Tuesday in the park series, something they do, the village does, which is pretty cool. And they've got you coming in to do that. So have you been there before? I mean, when you talk about your second time, is this the second time here?

SPEAKER_01 4:02

No, no, just I meant like in the state in general. Chitnango's brand new for me. Um, there's another couple spots around New York, like Long Lake and stuff that I haven't had the pleasure of playing yet. Um, that we're also doing on this run. So a bunch of new cities here in the state, but I'm very excited, at least regionally, to be back in this area.

SPEAKER_00 4:22

Oh my God, I can't wait to hear you. Cannot wait to say hello. Uh, let's start at the beginning, though. Who was Ashley Wineland and what first made you want to become a performer?

SPEAKER_01 4:31

You know, I always say that I've had such a strong love for just the performing arts in general. I was one of those kids growing up that it didn't matter the medium of performance. If it was an opportunity to tell a story and be in front of people, I was gonna jump on it and take the opportunity for it. Channeling that into music didn't come until a little bit uh later. I wasn't one of those ones that I think came out of the womb being like, I know I'm gonna be a singer, though the home videos of my parents and myself sitting in a bouncer to sing yourself silly, that's Sesame Street, VHS tape, might beg to differ on that, but consciously thinking about it anyway, um, it's a little different. I got more into doing uh singing and performance, thankfully, through a lot of my school's uh music programs and you know, having the opportunity to do different talent competitions and stuff, more so in my like early preteen years, um, teenage years for sure was when I fully locked in and I said, I just really love music as a medium. I love to sing and write songs, and I really want to pursue that. As now, you know, 10 plus years later, my full-time job.

SPEAKER_00 5:44

I love that. You don't you don't have anything to fall back on, you don't have a plan B? No.

SPEAKER_01 5:48

I mean, I mean, my parents were good, and they said, listen, we will support you to do music 100%. However, please do us a favor, go get a college degree. So I did, and I got it in film and media studies through Arizona State University. So technically, I'm educated enough for a fallback plan, but you know, at the moment, it's full speed ahead in the music sector.

SPEAKER_00 6:10

I I love that attitude. And like I said in the beginning, I'm gonna be talking with uh to somebody that's got a little bit of attitude, and that's it right there. You know what you want, and you're gonna go after it. It's like doing a radio thing. It's like, I know what I want to do, I and I'm doing it. I don't know how much longer I'm gonna be doing it, but I'm doing it.

SPEAKER_02 6:26

So yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 6:28

That is so cool. Uh, do you remember, uh Ashley, the first time you ever sang in front of a real audience?

SPEAKER_01 6:35

I does a karaoke party count because that would be that would be where it's at. Yeah. My family used to always host these like monthly karaoke parties at my aunt and uncle's house. And I remember one time

Early Performing Roots And Influences

SPEAKER_01 6:48

my family finally convinced me enough to like go and sing. And I did a Carrie Underwood song as ambitious as my probably 10-year-old self was at the time. And I would say that was like my first like actually holding a mic performing in front of people.

SPEAKER_00 7:02

Do you do you know what you sang? What was your go-to karaoke song?

SPEAKER_01 7:07

You know, funnily enough, it's like a deep cut of hers. I think I sang So Small by Carrie Underwood, which is a very technically challenging song. I don't know again what I was thinking at that age, but hey, I loved it enough that I said, We're gonna just sing it. It's gonna be a good time.

SPEAKER_00 7:24

So you're a big fan of Carrie.

SPEAKER_01 7:26

Huge fan.

SPEAKER_00 7:27

Huge fan. Here's a funny story. Um, and it went viral, I want to say a year or two ago, that somehow I my wife and I had our picture taken with Carrie, and I forgot where it was, but it was one of her shows and doing the radio thing, and you know, and then on and all that goes down. All of a sudden it started showing up online as we were Carrie's mom and dad.

SPEAKER_01 7:50

I love that for you guys.

SPEAKER_00 7:54

Where did this come from? But it just shows you that the power of the internet that's not really real. Yeah, it's a scary thing. That is the scary part. Why and how did they think that Nancy and I, my wife and I, were parents of Carriona Underwood. Now, I would absolutely love that, but we're not, we're just radio people. I'm a radio guy. So anyways, but uh yeah, I love Carrie and what she does. Um and do you kind of take after what she's doing a little bit? Because I say that because she loves to get into the rock, she loves to let it out, she has attitude, and she's pretty buff too. She knows how to how to play the stage and work out and make it happen.

SPEAKER_01 8:35

Yeah, I mean, definitely contribute her as one of my major influences as to how I like to show up on stage, the type of music I love to sing and stuff. Um, to your point, she likes to, especially these days, play around with some of the more like rock and roll kind of tones. And I've been having a lot of fun myself um experimenting with those types of sounds like crank it up and heartbreak boots off of the new album. Definitely play around with those a lot. Um, but yeah, you know, such a huge influence, and she's such a powerful figure to me. And I even from when I was young, prior to even fully getting into music as like being my main passion and drive, I always had such a profound respect and awe of her.

SPEAKER_00 9:16

I I love that. I love hearing that. That's on the female side of things. But what about on the male side? Do you have somebody you look up to?

SPEAKER_01 9:23

You know, I definitely love my powerhouse women. They're definitely my biggest influences. But as far as like who I respect and admire in country music these days, and even like growing up, I love Cody Johnson and his sound, the songs that he's putting out there. I love the profoundness of the storytelling and just how deep, but also fun they can be, too. I think that's such a really great um like turn of events for country music, especially since you know, my teen years and stuff were growing up in the bro country era. So I really love country music that tells a really phenomenal story.

SPEAKER_00 10:01

I think Zach Topps bringing those types of sounds back to you know, his uh another good story, his drummer, Nate Felty. We went to the same school, we went to the same high school. He's from here when he was home for the holidays. He came over. We did a he came down to this. I call this my pod zone. He came down, we did a podcast. It's so cool. Um, but you're right, with that whole sound of Zach, what Zach Top is doing, and bringing that sound back, and uh just how can you not? You know what I mean? Right, how can you not?

SPEAKER_01 10:29

Yeah, it's iconic for a reason.

SPEAKER_00 10:31

Yeah, so growing up, Ashley, what were you listening to around the house?

SPEAKER_01 10:36

It was a combination of so many different things because we obviously were a very heavily country household, but I mean, we were listening at that point, you know, anything from, like I said, the Carrie Underwoods and the Tim McGraws of the world at the time, the even older, like the Patsy Kleins and Loretta Lynz and Willie and all that sort of stuff. Um, you know, I always joke, like my grandpa used to always greet me when I'd come home from school by like pulling me in his lap, and he'd see tear in my beard. Like those types of musical influences were definitely widespread. But I mean, at the same time, too, outside of country, we were also listening to a wide variety of pop and classic rock. And so all those different sounds and songs really did shape, I feel like, my preferences, my taste of being the artist I am.

SPEAKER_00 11:28

Right. That uh Glendale, Arizona, is that really country, though?

SPEAKER_01 11:34

You know, some people always sound really surprised when I say yes, because Arizona just as a total, you know, I've talked to a good number of people who are like, really? Arizona, country? How does how does that go together? And I mean, I always try to gently remind people that every Western under the sun was pretty much filmed in Arizona at some point. But even outside of that, I mean, there's such a strong foothold in even just like the rancher community, the rodeo scene is very prevalent. We have a bunch of farms out there and stuff too that you know, you get outside the metropolitan areas and it's still very much alive, and the culture is very strong. So, yeah, Arizona is very much in its cowboy era for sure.

SPEAKER_00 12:22

You know, I used to make a lot of trips to Tucson, and um, you're right. I mean, they had the big bars with they had the bull. I mean, the bar was huge, they did a lot of line dancing when I think about it.

SPEAKER_01 12:33

All that was going on, so yeah, and it was hot as heck, but I'm just gonna changed.

SPEAKER_00 12:40

Girl, you know what? We're gonna get you here in the middle of January, get you in the northeast.

SPEAKER_01 12:45

Oh, so I can freeze.

SPEAKER_00 12:47

Have you heard of Lake Effect Snow?

SPEAKER_01 12:49

No, I don't believe I have.

SPEAKER_00 12:51

Lake Ontario. When you get done with this podcast, go on your phone, look up Lake Ontario, then look at Syracuse. You'll see we are just kind of southeast of the lake. And when the winds blow across the lake from the northwest to the southeast, um, we get that snow. We will get a foot of snow like it's nothing in a night.

SPEAKER_02 13:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:11

You've never experienced that until you've, you know, once you do, it's like, holy crap, what just happened?

SPEAKER_01 13:18

Right. I thought going to my knot in North Dakota in November was brutal because it was like negative 30, but that sounds pretty bad too. I don't farewell with the cold. I always say I am such a desert rat. I'm a lizard. Give me the key.

SPEAKER_00 13:33

Nothing wrong with that. Nothing wrong with that. It's I've been out there in the desert, like I said, Tucson climbed up Mount Lemon. Um about Pine Top?

SPEAKER_02 13:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:42

Yeah. I mean, we it was like, I want to say that one day we were out there, not to get off topic here, but uh, you know, I told you I go down these avenues here. But um it was like 90 degrees, and then we went up pine top, and by the time we got to the top, there were snowbanks.

SPEAKER_02 13:58

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_00 13:59

I'm not kidding. It was crazy. Yeah, it was crazy.

SPEAKER_02 14:01

That's wild.

SPEAKER_00 14:02

But a lot of people go up there to ski and you know, it could be beautiful down below, beautiful 80, 90 degree temperatures, and you get up, get up on top of Pine Top. It's like uh, you know, whole different world. So I see your I see Kiki's online here. She's keeping an eye on you.

SPEAKER_01 14:17

Hey, she's she does her job, she crosses her teeth and does the eyes.

SPEAKER_00 14:21

She called today just to tell me about, you know, you had a little bit of an issue and you're gonna be on your iPhone. And she was the sweetest thing. I and you've gotta feel so blessed to have somebody like that on your team that's gonna stand up for you, look out for you. You are so lucky because there's a lot of artists that don't have that.

SPEAKER_01 14:39

I am very lucky in that regard. Yeah, we always uh we kind of giggle and we say, we are a small, but we are a mighty team. There's a couple of us that, you know, do the day-to-day stuff to try to keep this whole thing going. And uh I'm very grateful for each and every one of them.

SPEAKER_00 14:53

Yeah, let's get back to the music a little bit. Was uh what was the first song that you ever wrote?

First Songs And Why They Matter

SPEAKER_01 14:58

So the very first song I ever wrote was my song called Red, White, and Blue.

SPEAKER_02 15:03

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 15:03

And, you know, my mentor, uh Brian Cuban at the time, when we were working on it together and he was kind of showing me the ropes of everything, he said, you know, your first song that you write should be something that means something to you, something that you can carry with you for the rest of your life. And so we got to sitting and talking about things that I think matter and that, you know, especially to that point where it's like, if I'm gonna have a song that withstands the test of time, what do I want to talk about? And so, you know, for me, I had a lot of individuals in my family, family friends, you know, that have served in our nation's armed forces. And especially growing up, you see the various sides of it. It's not just the people who serve, it's their families as well. And the sacrifices that are made as just like a whole all together. And to me, that was something I've always been really passionate about, and I still am to this day. And so, yeah, we sat down and we wrote red, white, and blue as an appreciation really of that level of sacrifice that both you know, person and family give.

SPEAKER_00 16:02

Very cool. Yeah, do you still sing that?

SPEAKER_01 16:05

I do, yeah. It's not necessarily always in every show uh type of song, but you know, where it's uh rightful occasions, we do like to pull that one out.

SPEAKER_00 16:15

Yeah, you know, you're an independent artist.

The Realities Of Going Independent

SPEAKER_00 16:18

In other words, when I say that, you're not tied to a major label, you are doing this on your own as an independent. Yes, you have a publicist, and yes, you have somewhat of a team behind you, but still you're not committed to one record label, you're doing your own thing. Um, you've built your career as an independent artist. What has been the biggest advantage for controlling your own direction?

SPEAKER_01 16:40

You know, to that point, and I think you kind of just said it in a nutshell, is I do get to control the direction. I don't have anybody who's necessarily in my ear that's saying, oh, you know, you need to make these types of songs because they're the most marketable right now. And, you know, you need to look a certain way and you need to do this and you need to do that because we think it'll help you sell more units and things like that. To me, I get to go, okay, what are the type of stories I want to tell in my songs? How do I want to deliver those songs to people in music videos or just the campaigns that we run? I really get to fully express my relationship with the music to its max capacity as much as my budget can afford, anyway, as an independent artist and get it out to the world. And so that has been really refreshing. And, you know, to that point, then I also get to be really particular about who I get to work with and the creatives I bring on board with me to make sure I really make my vision the best thing possible.

SPEAKER_00 17:40

That's it. Independent, baby. I love it. A woman with attitude going after it. Um, you gotta love that. Have you um do you do your own booking?

SPEAKER_01 17:49

I do. Yeah, I'm very grateful that I have some uh agents that I work with on like a non-exclusive basis that kind of help fill in my gaps. But as far as looking at the routing when they bring stuff in and going, hey, does that work and stuff? Yeah, that is that is a woman operation right here.

SPEAKER_00 18:06

Yeah, no, exactly. Um, you're doing the booking responsibility and uh you're landing dozens of headlining shows. Um you had to become a salesperson, so to speak, right? Very much, yes. Yeah, exactly. So you gotta let all right, maybe that's a plan too someday. But I'm just saying, um you know, being able to do that. Uh, what's the toughest part of handling all that?

SPEAKER_01 18:29

I mean, I feel like if you're just looking at it from a business standpoint, it's really just managing all the different hats you have to wear, right? Because to your points, like I got booking, I have the music side of it, I have advertising even, and figuring out how I want to structure campaigns and put stuff together and everything. And then, of course, you know, in the same, it's like managing a small business. I have my employees and my band and my team members and everything, and making sure that that's all accounted for on the business end and doing things we don't like to do, like accounting, it's gross.

SPEAKER_00 19:09

I I I'm not a numbers person, so I'm not either.

SPEAKER_01 19:12

I have to be, but I don't like to be.

SPEAKER_00 19:14

I'd be going to my son or my wife, going, okay, I need help here.

SPEAKER_01 19:18

Right. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:19

That's how it is. Uh, what um what has been the biggest? I can't believe we pulled it off moment of your career.

SPEAKER_01 19:26

Oh gosh. There's been a couple.

SPEAKER_00 19:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:30

There's been a couple. Um, for me, I think one of the biggest highlights of like, oh wow, look at what we've accomplished and what we did. And it was um it was coming out of COVID. You know, we everybody was opening up at really random times and stuff. And it somehow, some way we were able to manage to put together tours and stuff come into like 2021 and even into 2022, and a time where not a lot of people were able to do that because of just the nature of the world. And um, you know, like I said, every place coming on onto the map again, really, uh, at all different times. That was one of those, like, wow, I can't believe we pulled those off, and that we were able to do that, and especially in like those years, we had shows like the one that I played at for a Veterans Day event at Auction Pavilion. You know, we played our first pavilion show in those years too. So that was truly even like as an independent, we're like, holy cow, like how do we manage to do all this, you know? But we made it happen, and it's something I still hold with a lot of pride in my heart.

SPEAKER_00 20:35

Yeah, has there other um you never know I work radio, I'm stumbling over my words. Has there ever been a moment where you went, oh, thank god that's over?

SPEAKER_01 20:45

Yeah, all the time.

SPEAKER_00 20:46

There's you know, there's no kidding.

SPEAKER_01 20:52

Yeah, I there's definitely been especially fake music where I've just feel like I've been ran through the ringer, you know, and it's been crazy. And I what I love about hindsight though is that it's truly 2020. I have those moments where I sit there and I go, oh wow, you know, as terrible as that was, and how happy I am that that those things are over. Funny how they ended up being the foundational building blocks that help me get better opportunities later down the road, or to meet people at the right time, the right place that are now, you know, great assets to me and my team.

SPEAKER_00 21:31

Exactly. A friend of mine, um, we've become pretty good friends. Uh I see him every year in Nashville. We go to the country radio seminar. I've been doing that for well over 20 years. But Jacob Smalley is an artist, and we've kept in touch. I love him, love his family, just everything about this artist. But he, I don't know if you saw the comment he just threw up there. Says, hey Skip, hey Ashley, uh, love the new album. I love only a minute.

SPEAKER_01 21:56

I don't know if you know Jacob. I I have not personally. Met Jacob, but I do know of Jacob. Makes my day to hear that though. Thank you for being one of the four million who've watched the music video. I appreciate that.

SPEAKER_00 22:10

Exactly. So how does that feel when another artist comments on, like, for example, he's he's complimenting you? How does that feel as an artist when another artist does that?

SPEAKER_01 22:21

I think it's always really nice. You know, I think especially being in the music industry and entertainment just in general, we're also used to a culture of very like cutthroat, you know, it's me against everybody kind of energy sometimes. And I always find it so refreshing when we can be in a space where it's like, oh no, we can appreciate other artists in our industry. We can congratulate each other on the work, we can be fans of one another. Um, so I always find it very refreshing when that sort of energy enters the chat.

SPEAKER_00 22:52

I love that. And of course, Kiki says that surpassed three million views.

SPEAKER_01 22:57

Your video actually up to four. Four. Yeah. Do you just pass four the other day?

SPEAKER_00 23:04

Do you like watch those numbers and go, holy crap? Sometimes, you know, it's funny. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_01 23:12

It can't. Well, I mean, I don't watch them like a hawk, you know. I'm not that invested. I'd like to see them do well and everything. And um, actually, more so these days, I have fans that will keep me more apprised of the ever climbing numbers than I am myself, like keeping an eye on them, which I always think is really funny and uh kind of refreshing in a way, too. Because I'm like, oh, cool. You know, I had a fan that commented that was like, Oh, yeah, the music video passed four million streams for only a minute. And I said, Really? And I wouldn't look, and I said, Yep, it's there. So it's kind of fun to get the news delivered uh through the fan base that way.

SPEAKER_00 23:46

Kiki, I just want you to know, I love Kiki. I told you this a few minutes ago. We haven't really met, but we chatted on the phone a little bit. She just said, Uh-oh, I'm fired because she said three mil. But no, it's it's crazy, it's crazy. Those are crazy numbers, girl. Uh, let's talk about the album. All right. Your album is called Wineland. And when you put your own name on a record, does that create additional pressure?

SPEAKER_01 24:09

You know, I think it was definitely one of those moments because we sat and I played around with so many different names for this album. And, you know, at the end of the day, when I was thinking about, well, one, how long this album took to put together? It was three years in the making. Really, just how entirely different it is from anything I've ever done before. I really felt like it was a reintroduction of myself, of the things that I've learned and grown and done as an artist over the last couple of years and almost like a new era, as

Milestone Moments And Fan Energy

SPEAKER_01 24:40

the Gen Zers would like to say, of sound for this. So I said, I think it makes sense to do a self-titled album because this is like a reintroduction of self. It's saying, hey, here's where I'm at now. I really love this era. I feel like we're gonna be in this energy here for quite a while. For anybody who might not know me, this is really where I'm at right now.

SPEAKER_00 25:05

So you would say this collection of songs is the uh is the real Astley. We'll get to know you by listening to the album.

SPEAKER_01 25:11

I feel like you'll definitely have a very strong sense of the stories that I like to tell. Um, the sound, especially, I feel like is the most developed and definitely most mature um I have had on any project. And so, yeah, if you want a real reflection of where I'm at currently as an artist, this album is a really great reflection of that.

SPEAKER_00 25:32

Oh my god, I love that. Uh, is there a uh a song on the album uh that uh is or was especially difficult or emotional to record?

SPEAKER_01 25:42

Oh goodness, which ones? Goodness, you know, I say crank it up was kind of a curveball in the sense that I didn't write that song, it was a pitched song to me. And I was actually in the studio working on a couple other songs that are on this album, and that one came across the desk as like, hey, by the way, we have this song. Carrie Underwood was a co-writer on it and everything. Wow, you know, it's it's available if you would like to cut it. Um, you know, let me know what you think. And if you do, we got a day basically to turn it around, put your vocal on it before you leave, type of deal. So I was like, okay, now I'm interested. Play me the song. So they played me the song in the studio, and I said, Ooh, I really like that. I love the energy that it has. I think it was so much fun. And so I said, Yeah. So I went back to my hotel room that night. I listened to the demo of it over and over and over and over and over again. Came back into the studio, cut the performance vocal that you hear on the record now today. And it was after that, after putting it all together, that we said, yes, let this be the lead single off of the album.

unknown 26:54

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 26:55

Did you um make the uh the move, not the move, but did you go to Nashville to record it?

SPEAKER_01 27:00

I did, yeah. So I work with Marty Frederickson at a Siena Studios in Nashville. So even while I still call Phoenix home, I have been going out there multiple times throughout the year and working on music. Obviously, the Winland album took a lot of my time, and we're already working on another project as it is. Um, so yeah, that is my home base for anything music related.

SPEAKER_00 27:22

Tell me about Marty, though, and what did he hear in your music that helped take it to another level?

SPEAKER_01 27:27

You know, God love Marty. He is such a genius in the sense that he has so many years of experience under his belt, doing a wide variety of genres. Country music, obviously, he's worked with Faith Hill, Karenwood, and all that sort of good stuff. But even from the rock side with like Aerosmith and just some other really incredible acts like Buck Cherry in that realm. It made it really fun to go in there because I love such high-energy music. I love music that's got some grit and it's got some edge. And him having worked on both genre ends of kind of the sounds I was interested in doing. Hands up makes it so easy because he just hears it so naturally. And it's like, oh yeah, here's what this needs. And he'll go and do his studio magic, as I like to call it, and bring something back and be like, okay, here, listen, what do you think about it? And I'm just like, I don't even have to worry about the music. You know, any other time I would really want to be seated in the studio to listen to what the session players are doing and throw my input in there and working with Marty, it's just one of those things where I'm like, all right, cool, you got the song, you know what we're going for. I trust you implicitly to make sure that it sounds exactly like it needs to.

SPEAKER_00 28:34

He never pushed you out of your comfort zone then.

SPEAKER_01 28:37

I I wouldn't say that though, because when it comes, when it comes to vocal tracking, yeah, he is very particular. So we have a really fun system where I'll do a couple run throughs and stuff and we'll do some isolated parts. And then he has such a great ear

Why The Album Is Self-Titled

SPEAKER_01 28:53

for vocal production that he'll just be hearing things as it goes through. And so he'll be like, okay, you know, sing this, do it this way, give this some like inflection, just see what it sounds like. And he's not afraid to play around with things, too, which has been really fun for me in the studio. And sometimes the things he asks me to do, I'm like, you got to give me a couple run throughs for that because it's kind of weird and my brain doesn't like it all right off the bat, but give me a couple opportunities to massage it out because we move so fast in there that uh it makes it fun. It is challenging though. He does push me out of my comfort zone at times.

SPEAKER_00 29:26

Do you think the guys that are playing with you? Are they in the studio with you when you record?

SPEAKER_01 29:31

No. So usually when I go in there, um, I'm by myself, we're writing, we're recording. It's Marty myself, maybe whoever else is in the room writing with us. And then once we get past the writing phase, it's really it's Marty and I sitting in the studio, him producing the heck out of me. And then I go, All right, make it happen. And I leave, and then the music kind of gets transferred over to whoever else he wants to bring in to play on the session.

SPEAKER_00 29:56

Yeah, that's amazing. It's like waiting, it's like having a baby appear, and it's like, wow, this is beautiful. I don't know, maybe that's the wrong example, but I'm saying it's like that in a sense, it's your baby. This is your song. And when it's delivered, it's gold.

SPEAKER_01 30:14

Yeah, it's a beautiful thing. Like I said, that's what makes it so fun, is to be able to have that level of implicit trust with your team, with the people you're working with, to be like, all right, here's the vision. I know we're gonna execute it, and sometimes even go above and beyond what I could have possibly imagined for it.

SPEAKER_00 30:31

You know, Ashley, one thing I've noticed that your music mix mixes uh country storytelling with a strong rock edge. And how do you decide how far to take that sound, how far to push it?

SPEAKER_01 30:43

I feel like that's really predicated on the song. I feel like the nature of the song will really dictate to you what is enough, you know. Cause like I said, crank it up in like heartbreak boots really push that envelope a little bit where it's a little bit more on the rock side than it is so much the country. But then you have songs like Tumbleweight off of the album that lean really heavily more on those traditional country sounds that we know and love. And if you listen to even just the lyrics of them and the foundational melody line, it really dictates to the production of it what it wants to have, what way it's gonna lean. And we know too when we're writing songs as well, like, okay, you know, this might be more of a honky talk barn burner. We can maybe put some extra gain and distortion on these guitars, and it's gonna sound really cool, or hey, this is something that's a little bit softer. Maybe we want to do something a little bit more steel fiddle heavy and you know, have it be that really more traditional sound.

SPEAKER_00 31:45

Yeah. Do you have like a studio at home where you can go in and do you have like Pro Tools, or do you have Logic or another type of DAW that you work with?

SPEAKER_01 31:55

Yeah, you know, I'm not necessarily the most profound um DAW user ever, but I do have a little home studio set up where I use Logic and everything. And if I ever need to go lay down a rough track idea, I can certainly go in there and set up something. Though, of course, I say all that, and more often than not, when the ideas start to come, uh I end up just grabbing my phone notes and making a little audio note of me, you know, just quickly singing something into my phone so I don't lose it.

SPEAKER_00 32:22

Yeah. You know, one thing I want to ask you about the album, uh Wineland, which song should somebody like myself or anybody for that matter listen to alone with headphones when they're really, really in their feelings, if you know what I mean? You put the headphones on, you just want to be in your own world.

SPEAKER_01 32:39

I feel like Tumbleweed is a really great one. Like that's just got such beautiful production and it's it's really deep. If you're in more of like the lovey kind of mood in the feels, um only a minute's really powerful too. That's the big power ballad of the album. Um, so I really love that one too. But at the same time, if you want like a bop, just put your headphones on and like bop around the house while you're doing chores. Loving you is easy is a really fun one for that.

SPEAKER_00 33:10

I love it. I love it. So the album's called Wineland. It's out, and uh a lot of great music coming off that. And I don't know when you know somebody might be watching this after the date, but uh we're on the air right now. It's uh the you know, it's before the 28th, and you're appearing in Chitnango on the 28th, uh, just outside of Syracuse. What can we expect to see and hear at that show?

SPEAKER_01 33:32

Yeah, so for my friends coming out to that show or really any show on our tour route, um, I always like to say if you love a good

Recording Fast In Nashville Studios

SPEAKER_01 33:40

high-energy, country-driven show, we got it for you. Obviously, you'll be hearing the original music, the whole Wineland album is in the show, as well as some older cuts that make it in as well. So, for my long-term fans, those are in there too. We also like to mix in some really fun covers and stuff that everybody knows and loves, yeah, into those performances too. So there's a little bit of something for everybody. Obviously, a lot of country hints of rock and roll, maybe a little sprinkle of pop here and there. But yeah, that's what you can look forward to.

SPEAKER_00 34:12

I'm uh I'm reaching out to my doctor to get an excuse to get out of work so I can come out to the show because obviously uh the Skip Happens podcast, we originate in Syracuse, New York. Right here. That's right.

SPEAKER_01 34:23

Tell them you need some music therapy.

SPEAKER_00 34:26

I can get it all day, but I need some I need some Ashlyn, Ashley Wineland. Yes. Music therapy is what I need. It's different. Tell me a little bit about your family. You got siblings, all that, and what do they think about you doing what you're doing?

SPEAKER_01 34:40

Yeah, I I do. I do have siblings. I have a younger brother and um a whole lot of family. It's it's a wide tree, but you know, everybody's always been very supportive of the fact that I do music. Um, you know, they are true leaders, truly. I but I always say I wouldn't be able to do what I do without the strong foundational support of my family being as amazing as they are, in that they've never been like, hey, you know, you should go do anything else. It was like you got a passion on your heart, you got the talent for it, you know, and as long as you have the ethic and the drive to really make it happen, you know, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to be successful. And that mentality, I feel like is I attribute it a lot to why I'm able to say I've been here for over 10 years doing what I'm doing.

SPEAKER_00 35:29

It's so important to have that support. You got that system to fall back on. God forbid anything happens, but they're there for you.

SPEAKER_01 35:35

I know. Absolutely, 100%.

SPEAKER_00 35:37

Is it uh being a songwriter, is it easier to write uh falling madly in love or watching everything fall apart?

SPEAKER_01 35:46

Depends. You know, I find that those negative emotions can be really strong. And for me personally, uh songwriting has definitely been a really good outlet to process those things. But you know, at the same time, I feel like especially with the Wineland album, I really challenged myself to also write when things were going really good. Um, because those moments deserve to be celebrated and also, you know, processed and channeled through music too. Because we always need some good uplifting, uh feel-good type of music out there in the world as well. So it's a fine balance. But if we're being real honest, the negative stuff makes you feel really uh really called to use words.

SPEAKER_00 36:26

Has any I love that? Has anybody ever really uh reached out to you and asked, is that song about me?

SPEAKER_01 36:34

No, nobody I feel like has ever explicitly reached out, but at the same time, I kind of feel like if you know me and you know that there was a chance and you listen to enough. I I write somewhat vaguely, but also enough specifically that it was like if you listen to it, you probably could figure out real quick if it was about you or not.

SPEAKER_00 36:58

Yeah, probably. You know, with what you do as a country artist and almost every other artist, I could be driving down the road or even sitting in the studio at the radio station, and I go, damn, that song's about wait a minute, that that's about me. That's that's my life. And that's that's you know what you're doing. You're putting it out there, so that's pretty cool. Um what's the biggest red flag that people sometimes ignore? Just in general, or like in general, you know, let's talk about like, well, maybe that's not a good question. Forget that one. Forget it. Forget it.

SPEAKER_01 37:35

I do have an answer for that though. Okay, all right.

SPEAKER_00 37:38

I guess we're talking about like a relationship, but go ahead.

SPEAKER_01 37:40

Yeah. Uh I find one of the biggest red flags is if you don't feel fundamentally understood as a person. Like if somebody doesn't get you and what drives you and makes you you, um, to me, that's that's a red flag. You know, like that's something that's so important. And for any like healthy relationship, whether it's romantic or even otherwise friendships, even familial relationships,

Finding The Right Country Rock Edge

SPEAKER_01 38:06

if you feel like you're not fundamentally understood as a person, to like what makes you tick, what makes you thrive, um, that can be a problem.

SPEAKER_00 38:16

So if I was to ask you to finish this sentence, loving the right person should feel like I should feel like being wholly understood.

SPEAKER_01 38:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 38:28

To me, that's all right.

SPEAKER_01 38:30

The big thing, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 38:32

Yeah. So let's talk about you. I know we're I don't want to keep you too long here, but it's so much fun chatting with you. And nobody's come up and knocked on the door and asked you to move out of the Lowe's parking lot.

SPEAKER_01 38:41

Yes, no, not yet. No, it it's been hard. Yeah, my band has been sitting behind this red curtain here trying to eat quietly and not giggle the entire time. Everybody say hi. I love it. You know, how much you know how hard it is for the spirit to be quiet this long?

SPEAKER_00 39:01

No, they're going. We we want to talk. Is he ever gonna shut up? No, it's all right. Hey, you know what? You can't do it without the band. Those guys are like truly, they're the heroes behind the hero. So I you know that's amazing. I know they're teasing you right now. They are what are they eating? What kind of food you got on board?

SPEAKER_01 39:19

We got B Shroganoff in the crack pot just waiting.

SPEAKER_00 39:22

Yeah, did you make it?

SPEAKER_01 39:24

Well, yeah, we prepped it this morning. Thank goodness. Because between the trailer issue we had earlier today and the long travel day we already had on the books, like nobody was gonna want to be cooking this late at night anyway.

SPEAKER_00 39:38

No, no, and here you are on uh you know some skip happens podcast. Well, you could be in a hotel somewhere and getting a good night's sleep, or do you stay right in the right on the canvas?

SPEAKER_01 39:46

We actually, when we uh don't have hotels and stuff for our shows, we are 100% fully in the coach all the time.

SPEAKER_00 39:54

Oh wow, very cool. And you say you're in New York. Are you in upstate New York? Downstate? You don't have to tell me where exactly. I'm just kind of curious. Technically, upstate as the band.

SPEAKER_01 40:06

Where are we? Where are we going? I think it's considered upstate.

SPEAKER_00 40:11

Okay, well, upstate could be Poughkeepsie.

SPEAKER_01 40:15

We are a little bit south of Syracuse right now. Oh, okay. So you're right over there. Yeah, New York Native.

SPEAKER_00 40:20

You can tell me which you could be in Binghamton, you could be in Cortland, yeah. You and a little bit further north, it's 30. What are they saying?

SPEAKER_01 40:30

I know we're like looking at the GPS right now. None of us can read, you know. It's a downside about being musicians. We sacrifice skills.

SPEAKER_00 40:37

Tell me a little bit, though. Ashley, you know, this is what I love about you. You are so awesome, and there's no reason for somebody not to like what you're doing. Um, you spend a lot of time traveling on the road. Obviously, you're on your uh Love and Heartbreak tour, uh, hitting up all these cities, and it's pretty awesome for an independent artist to be out there doing so much. Uh, you spend a lot of time traveling. What does a typical uh show day look like?

SPEAKER_01 41:02

Chaos, pure chaos. No, I'm just kidding. Uh, depending on

Tour Setlists And Family Support

SPEAKER_01 41:06

how the schedule lays out, sometimes it looks like this week, it looks like a lot of driving. So we'll typically wake up in the morning, we'll end up having to drive a couple hours to the next gig. Um, and then, you know, our afternoon spent loading in, getting set up, doing our sound check and everything. We really like to try to make sure everybody eats and gets to do a good warm-up before the show. Um, obviously, performance time comes around, and that's always a blast. Like I said, it's a super high-energy show. And then afterwards, uh, you know, we babble on because our adrenaline's super high for a little bit. Everybody does their nighttime rituals. Like I make my teas, I do my steaming and sort of take care of my voice. We shower and go back to bed and wake up and we do it all over again.

SPEAKER_00 41:52

Does somebody snore? Does it get loud?

SPEAKER_01 41:54

Uh, you know what? This is actually probably the quietest bus we've had where nobody really snores or anything. Now, during the day, that can be a completely different story. As they giggle in the background, you know, like a lot of laughter and fun. And during the day, it can get loud because we love to harass each other in the best way possible. Um, but yeah, other than that, it's kind of a lucky kind of team.

SPEAKER_00 42:21

It's a it's a good team, it's like family. It's family, but not really family, but your family. So one looks out for the other and so on and so forth. So, what's something that's always in your roadbag?

SPEAKER_01 42:33

Oh, goodness, everything. Um, because I don't travel light at all. But you know, it's funny, we always joke that in the coach, we have to make sure we have a good angle grinder in here because unfortunately, the amount of times we've ended up having to use it on things is significantly high. And it's always a good giggle when we pull it out because we uh it seems to be in New York too, because last year we uh we used it today on our trailer. And last year when we were in New York, uh we had to grind the locks off of our trailer because uh our keys fell down a city grate.

SPEAKER_00 43:08

Oh Jesus, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 43:10

So I probably say that's uh that's a random little hardcore guarantee to pack on the list.

SPEAKER_00 43:17

So you got all these guys in the back of the bus, so to speak. The the cameras, whatever. Um do they rotate doing the driving? No, no, okay. So you got a driver now. All right, so you got somebody driving, but then who controls the music?

SPEAKER_01 43:32

Oh goodness, it's myself and luckily a very accountable group of individuals. We all are very good about keeping one another, you know, on top of making sure that the music is the best that it can be, that we're always working on stuff. Um, you know, they're they're a great help in making sure that that circus is self contained and self sufficient.

SPEAKER_00 43:55

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. I know I have so many questions here. And it just, you know, it's just Stuff to fall back on.

Show Day Chaos And Road Essentials

SPEAKER_00 44:02

But um your fan club, they're known as the Winelanders.

SPEAKER_01 44:07

Yes, that is what they dubbed themselves.

SPEAKER_00 44:09

So really that's cool. And um so they did that, they came up with that on their own.

SPEAKER_01 44:14

100%.

SPEAKER_00 44:15

And you said, Yeah, that's fine. Let's do it.

SPEAKER_01 44:17

I said that's what you want to be called. I'm down for it.

SPEAKER_00 44:20

Yeah, and when did you realize that the your audience had become real, a real community?

SPEAKER_01 44:26

You know, I've I'd seen it a lot in the comment sections of like posts and things like that where people would build relationships with one another. But I think the coolest thing is was um over the last couple of years doing shows and stuff and seeing these hardcore fans come out to shows. And not only are they excited to see me, they're excited to see each other. And it's almost like instant built-in friendships. They really already kind of know each other. And to see that interaction happen in person at shows has been so cool. And it was really one of those moments where I'm like, oh wow, this is really a community and not just like uh, oh hey, Ashley does stuff. We like to appreciate her sometimes, you know.

SPEAKER_00 45:07

What is the most memorable gift or message you've received from a fan? Is there anything that sticks out?

SPEAKER_01 45:14

I I actually just received one the other day, uh, where and it was, I didn't even know they had dropped this gift off until the show was over and they were gone. And I found an envelope on the back of my merchandise cabinet. Um, and so shout out to Tony who left a very, very generous uh monetary donation basically to the cause. Um, but you know, I've received so many heartfelt letters of people talking about how much the music means to them, how much just even like the presence on social media and having the community to be a part of has meant so much to them. And people even sending things like custom engraved pens and stuff with little the call-outs to my music and everything, just the thought and consideration in general for anybody to take the time to send a letter or send a gift, it always like hits me so deeply because you don't have to do that. And the fact that you did just means a lot.

SPEAKER_00 46:15

They believe in you.

SPEAKER_01 46:16

Yeah, which is cool.

SPEAKER_00 46:17

How does one become a member?

SPEAKER_01 46:19

You know, it's a really easy thing to do on Facebook. We have our Wine Others United group, and that is a true fan community. You just got to answer some questions to prove that you're not a chat bot ready to scam the world, and we light you into that. And then also on the other side, my online fan club, you can go to my website, ashwino.com. There's a little fan club tab. It's an email-based program. So you get sent a specialty email, especially when new music's coming out and all that sort of stuff. Um, to really be in the loop of all things going on. I like to give them little shout-outs uh and little forewarnings when things drop, like new merchandise and whatnot, um, before everything comes out. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 46:58

I love it. Before I let you go, just a few uh what I call quick hits.

SPEAKER_01 47:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 47:03

Cowboy boots or sneakers.

SPEAKER_01 47:05

Uh you know, during shows, obviously I'm in the boots, even though sometimes my toes would really prefer sneakers.

SPEAKER_00 47:11

Gotcha. Uh, ball cap or cowboy hat. I love the hat you have on.

SPEAKER_01 47:16

It's hard to see right now, but I saw it in the I know the lighting is a little dim, but yeah. There we go. I I love these. Um, but you know, during the summertime, especially, I love myself a ball cap. You know, I got so many of them.

SPEAKER_00 47:28

Dive bar or festival stage.

SPEAKER_01 47:31

Ooh, that honestly depends on the place. I love be a good festival stage, but you know, I've played some dive bar kind of rooms where everybody's just super invested in listening to the music, and those can be so much fun.

SPEAKER_00 47:44

All right, I know you got the band on board, but uh acoustic guitar or full band.

SPEAKER_01 47:49

I like full band, I like having the energy of other people to feed off of for the performance.

SPEAKER_00 47:54

I was waiting to hear some comments from the back. So lies coffee or energy drink?

Building The Winelanders Fan Community

SPEAKER_01 48:02

Oh, coffee. I actually have my own coffee. It's called Crank It Up Coffee. You can find it on my website. Yes, I'm gonna have to get some stinking good. It's an Ethiopian bean.

SPEAKER_00 48:11

It's uh I'm gonna have to get some because I have the uh limited edition Skip Happens coffee mug, so I need to put coffee in there. But I'm gonna make sure you get some. So we'll talk about that in a few minutes. Uh, maybe I'll hand deliver them on Tuesday. That would be wonderful. Yeah, okay. One more uh sunrise or sunset.

SPEAKER_01 48:30

I love a good sunset, I think they're prettier.

SPEAKER_00 48:34

I got you. All right, I got another one. Texting or calling?

SPEAKER_01 48:38

Ooh, in true uh Gen Z fashion. I definitely know I'm more apt to texting. Um, but you know, a good phone call doesn't hurt anything.

SPEAKER_00 48:49

No, I know. You're right, you're right. All right. Do you let me ask um talking about texting or calling? When you go, do you still have a phone in the home? Like a landline, what they would call a landline.

SPEAKER_01 49:02

No, we got rid of ours years ago, but I still can remember my home phone number.

SPEAKER_00 49:07

Really? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And it I remember mine from God knows how many years ago. That's right. But uh, you know, we we still have a landline here, and it's like, I'm like, honey, come on, we we don't use this phone. She goes, Well, I gotta talk to my mom every day. My mom doesn't because she's 98.

SPEAKER_01 49:22

So that's why you know what that's fair though.

SPEAKER_00 49:25

It is, it is, it is, but I'm you know, all right, never mind. We'll let it go. Ashley, you uh we want to get a hold of your music. Where do we go?

SPEAKER_01 49:31

Yeah, one stop shop for everything music, tour dates, the whole kit and caboodle is my website, ashleymyeland.com. Of course, you can find me on all the different social media platforms under at Ashley Wineland Music. Look for that blue check mark because I do have verified pages. If you find anything else with my name on it that doesn't have the blue check mark, it's likely a scam. So we try to avoid those. But yeah, all the official links are also on my website for my social media pages.

SPEAKER_00 49:58

So it sucks that it's that way. I know you know what the world. It's the world. You know, uh, let me ask you this too, just before I let you go. When this chapter of your story eventually is over, it's all told, what do you hope people say about Ashley Wineland?

SPEAKER_01 50:12

You know, I I always say I hope that the general consensus was that the work that I did brought a lot of joy. It helped people make a lot of really fun memories that they hold close to their heart. And if a song really resonates with them and it's a message that they carry, I hope it is something that really helps form and shape them into doing something equally as good and as giving for the people in their lives going forward.

SPEAKER_00 50:40

Oh my God, I love that. Ashley, this has been so much fun to get to know you. This has been a blast. Uh, I I I try, I try to make it fun. And we have a, you know, just finding out about each other a little bit. It's kind of cool. Uh, congratulations on the new music, the album, and everything you're building on the road. Um, you know, your proof that talent matters. I know it's you and you got a great band behind you. Uh, but so do determination, persistence, and having uh the full courage to take control of your own career. And you've done that. You're like, this is gonna, I'm gonna do this and I'm gonna make it work. And that's why in the beginning I said, I like it already. You've got attitude, and that's the way it is. Actually, why then I want to say thank you for joining us in the uh Skip Happens podcast. And if you're watching this, make sure you subscribe uh right there on YouTube or go to our socials. Um, most importantly, check her out on socials. I know she's got a YouTube channel as well because I was checking that out. Um but uh you know what? My my thing is every boot tells a story, and you told that story tonight. And uh these boots that you've got on, they walk through love, sometimes they walk through heartbreak, and sometimes they step directly into a syracise pothole. So I don't know if you get those in uh Arizona, but we get them here. Ashley, uh,

Quick Hits, Legacy, And Subscribe

SPEAKER_00 51:56

thank you so much again for joining us. My name is Shift Clark, and we hope to see you next time. I want you to stay right there for a minute.

SPEAKER_01 52:02

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 52:05

I'm trying, hang on. You know what? My mouse isn't working. There it is. I got it, there it is. All right, good night, everybody.