Ashley McBryde Found Her Joy in Six Strings Thanks to Her Parents

Ashley McBryde is a country singer-songwriter known for her emotional and touchy music. McBryde, age 38, is a native of Hardy, Arkansas, and is known for her voice, songwriting, and use of guitar. 

She is well known for her song 'A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega,' which Rolling Stones named in the Top 25 Best Country Songs of 2017. In addition, her 2018 debut studio album, Girl Going Nowhere, was nominated for Best Country Album during the Grammy Awards in 2019. 

How Did It All Start for Ashley McBryde?

McBryde's father was a preacher, and as per the singer, he was often seen with "a gun or a bible." During a conversation with Billboard in 2018, the country singer talked about how her father would not let her touch his Martin D-35S guitar. Any discrepancy in discipline would result in a spanking. 

But one day, during her father's 70th birthday, she seized the opportunity and uncased the coveted guitar. It was at his moment the singer started writing her hit 'A Bible and A.44.' The song and, most notably, the title reflects her upbringing given by her parents in the McBryde household. 

Interestingly, after a few months, as she recalled, the future country music star would sing the song for her father. This led to her father finally handing over his prized asset to his heir. In response, McBryde told her father that it did not belong to her and was supposed to be passed on only after his death. 

"That's not my guitar. Someday it will be, but it's not mine now," the singer cited her conversation during the interview with Billboard. However, this is where McBryde's musical journey officially began, as her father, who was considered conservative, spoke words of support to his daughter.   

"I can't watch you play it after I'm gone, and I'd like to see you play it," McBryde recited her father's words.  

The Dahlonega hitmaker was brought up in a family who had superb taste in music. The singer calls herself "lucky" that her parents listened to great music. Her dad's love for Kris Kristofferson and her mom's passion for The Carpenters steeped her into excellent songwriting materials from a young age. 

McBryde's Road to Success

Success did not come to McBryde instantly as she recalled the time she spent playing music in bars at Memphis.

During her college years, she was part of a band and performed as the lead singer. However, a particular incident during her college days gave her much-needed motivation and inspired her ever-popular song 'Girl Going Nowhere.' 

"That's stupid. That won't happen. You need to remember where you're from, and have a good backup plan," the singer recalled her algebra teacher's saying, who responded with such words after McBryde told her class that she aspires to "move to Nashville and write songs" in the future. 

But having a career she wanted, her chronically ill father has asked her to join medical school after "you've made your money and had your fill of all this music stuff," McBryde told CBS News in 2018. He suffers from a degenerative disease and is understood to be alive. 

But the same year, McBryde was struck by tragedy as her beloved brother William Clayton McBryde passed away at 53. Talking to People in 2019, McBryde opened up about how she severely suffered panic attacks after her brother was gone. 

One can say she had an eventful 2018, a year full of so many ups and downs. 

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