Holding one up in honor of your favorite dive bar.
Ashley McBryde does it again for “Cool Little Bars.”
It’s not every day that you write an open love letter to your favorite hole-in-the-wall bar, but Ashley McBryde does that and more, praising the bars that have stood the test of time.
“As y’all know, I have a huge appreciation for bars that have stood the test of time and have a lot of character.
I played them for many, many years, and I’m proud of the education I gained, and I’m proud to be able to give such bars credit for my entertainment style.
In a time when so many of our staple establishments are being torn down to make room for far less charming, sterile and predictable gathering spaces, I thought we’d better celebrate the ones we have left and the ones we’ve yet to warm a seat in. With the help of Trick Savage and Lainey Wilson, I think we said it pretty good.
So, thank you for dart boards, sticky table tops, bathrooms with broken stall doors and bartenders that can mix a drink while whoopin’ an ass. We see you and we need you. God bless cool little bars.”
The verses point out the nostalgic characteristics of your favorite neighborhood bar, and the chorus brings it all together, noting how, as cities grow, we often lose spots like this that carry memories, cheap drinks, and a whole lot of history.
Just like many musicians get their start, McBryde spent her time performing in hole-in-the-wall bars, making the lyrics hit a little closer to home. These “cool little bars” is where she got discovered:
“I pray time just forgets
To turn places like this into drive-thrus and condos
Lord knows we need those holes in the wall
For old souls and stray dogs
God bless two for ones and old stray dogs
And cool little bars”
“Cool Little Bars”
“Cool Little Bars” is the fifth single released from McBryde’s forthcoming album, The Devil I Know.
Slated to drop September 8th and a follow-up to her Grammy-nominated collaborative project Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville, fans are highly anticipating what the album has in store, and this single is an indicator we are in for something good.
When the album was announced, McBryde opened up about how this album shares her vulnerable feelings and thoughts.
“‘You guys are great but you’re a little too rock and roll.’ Man, y’all are good, but you need less tender songs.’ ‘If there’s such a thing as too country, that song is it.’
You spoke. I listened. ‘The Devil I Know.’ September 8th. Buckle up.”
Ashley McBryde is a no-walls kind of artist that is not afraid to dive deep into her lyric content. Her authentic writing style and sound make her so dang good, and well-loved by country music fans.
The Devil I Know Tracklist:
Made For This (Ashley McBryde and Travis Meadows)
Coldest Beer in Town (Ashley McBryde, Autumn McEntire and Nicolette Hayford)
Light On In The Kitchen (Ashley McBryde, Jessi Alexander and Connie Harrington)
Women Ain’t Whiskey (Ashley McBryde, Hillary Lindsey, Jon Nite and Chris LaCorte)
Learned To Lie (Ashley McBryde, Nicolette Hayford and Sean McConnell)
The Devil I Know (Ashley McBryde, Jeremy Stover and Bobby Pinson)
Single At The Same Time (Ashley McBryde, Benjy Davis and Andy Albert)
Cool Little Bars (Ashley McBryde, Trick Savage and Lainey Wilson)
Whiskey and Country Music (Ashley McBryde, John Osborne and Lee Thomas Miller)
Blackout Betty (Ashley McBryde, Aaron Raitiere and Nicolette Hayford)
6th Of October (Ashley McBryde, Blue Foley and CJ Field)
Ashley McBryde Upcoming Tour Dates
Aug. 4 Oregon Jamboree Music Festival 2023 Sweet Home, OR
Aug. 5 Memorial Field Sandpoint, ID
Aug. 6 Big Valley Jamboree 2023 Camrose, Alberta
Aug. 11 Jiffy Lube Live* Bristow, VA
Aug. 12 Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater* Virginia Beach, VA
Aug. 17 Upper Peninsula State Fairgrounds Escanaba, MI
Aug. 18 Effingham Performance Center Effingham, IL
Aug. 19 Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre* Maryland Heights, MO
Aug. 25 CHI Health Center Omaha* Omaha, BE
Aug. 26 T-Mobile Center* Kansas City, MO
Aug. 27 Celebrity Theatre Phoenix, AZ
Sept. 2 Georgia Country Music Festival Marietta, GA
Sept. 5 Red Rocks Amphitheatre^ Morrison, CO
Sept. 14 Washington County Fairgrounds Abingdon, VA
Sept. 19 Paycom Center* Oklahoma City, OK
Sept. 21 Germania Insurance Amphitheater* Austin, TX
Sept. 24 Pilgrimage Festival 2023 Franklin, TN
Oct. 6 Variety Playhouse Atlanta, GA
Oct. 19 Gordy’s Hwy 30 Music Festival 2023 Fort Worth, TX
Oct. 20 John T. Floore’s Country Store Helotes, TX
Nov. 4 Anderson Music Hall Hiawassee, GA
* Jelly Roll Backroad Baptism Tour 2023
^ Dierks Bentley Gravel & Gold Tour
