Giving credit where credit is due.
Many country stars often sit around exchanging stories about how their early days in Nashville were far from glamorous. Many of the stars we know and love today moved to Music City with a dream and the will to make it come true, but that does not mean they went knocking on a record label’s door and were handed a once-in-a-lifetime contract. These dreams came true after years of keeping their head down, networking, playing, and grinding, knowing that one day it would pan out for them.
Nashville is often called a “10-year town,” and Ashley McBryde is a testament to that. She moved to Music City in 2006 and didn’t break through until around 2016, when she signed her first record deal with Warner Nashville. That’s a long time to stick with a dream, but Ashley McBryde never doubted herself.
It’s hard sitting here today writing this to imagine country music without Ashley McBryde in the space, but she, too, is one of those artists who has had to knock down a lot of walls to make her dream of being a country music star come true. Recently, McBryde sat down with Bobby Bones for an episode of Bobbycast and spoke on the hardships she faced fighting for a spot at the table.
McBryde shared that when she first came to Nashville, she felt the community around her was also trying to make it. Many other singers and songwriters were willing to share tips and tricks, and quickly you begin to see familiar faces as you make appearances at various writers’ nights and open mics.
McBryde felt like everyone was there to make sure they all kept the lights on at home and to be a shoulder for one another.
“I think we’re so willing to give the information around because we all know that we’re here to do the same thing. It was sort of like playing the bar circuit. If I ran into you and you played four to eight and I’m playing eight to midnight, we aren’t in competition with each other because we are the same animal and we are both in this bar playing songs that we love to play to keep the lights on in our house, and there’s no competition involved.”
However, once you started to gain traction, the pressure was on, and it felt like that community shifted. The competitiveness to make it from the light being shone on you kicked in.
McBryde shared that the competitiveness that kicks in is even more cutthroat for women because it’s much harder to make it big in this industry.
“We all know what the climate is, but we know that in country music, we are only allowed to celebrate and promote and get behind one at a time, even if there’s 10 of us. We know only one of these girls is getting the stool at the bar and that’s when it starts to get gross and catty.”
While things could get catty, McBryde felt in her soul that those who spent their early days in this town building real connections would have other female artists willing to lend a hand rather than see them as competition. McBryde then named Miranda Lambert as a woman who really stood by her and pushed her to grow as an artist.
“Miranda used to say it to me, ‘I want you to challenge me. I want you to make me a better performer. I want to make you a better performer. This is how we sharpen our edges. We challenge each other. We show up for each other. This is the way it should be.’ And I completely agree.”
But at the end of the day, that competitiveness never truly dies, as being a woman in country music is a high-stakes business. McBryde also acknowledged that, in this business, you still have to have your own back before having anyone else’s.
“Now, when it comes down to it, if there’s only one parachute, you’re going to cut my throat. I know that, and you know I’m going to cut yours. It’s nothing personal. It’s just that only one of us gets the parachute.”
Ashley McBryde is one bada** woman, and while she is a nurturing soul that is wise beyond her years, she’s also not afraid to stand by her guns. I mean, this video says it all…
Being a woman in this space is not an easy career path, but having women to stand by your side and push you to better yourself in all areas of your career is invaluable. Miranda Lambert and Ashley McBryde’s friendship has stood the test of time, and it’s amazing to see both of these women crushing it.
While you’re here, fire up McBryde’s latest single, “Arkansas Mud.”
