The country artist unafraid to write lyrics that strike a chord, and maybe a few nerves, has released her fourth studio album, „The Devil I Know.“ What makes her success all the sweeter is that almost all of it came after McBryde took on one of her demons: alcohol.
The Rusty Nail is one of those Nashville bars where songwriters come to celebrate songwriters. Country music is, after all, about stories, and Ashley McBryde had notebooks full of hopefuls. „When you’re playing in places like this, you’re trying to find out where you are in the pack,“ she said.
She was good! Unafraid to write lyrics that both struck a chord – and maybe a few nerves.
Patti’s got an upper to get her through her shift
And a downer so she can lay down with the kids
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Jesus loves the drunkards and the whores and the queers
From „Gospel Night at the Strip Club“
„The people, that that line crawls all over, that’s why the line is in the song,“ McBryde said. „The people that that just makes, ‚She has no business…!‘ Yeah, that’s why it’s in there.“
Just to tweak them? „Oh, just because you know you’re wrong!“ she laughed.
Suffice it to say Ashley McBryde isn’t playing dive bars anymore. Her dark hair with a streak of silver stands out in Nashville. So do her many tattoos. But it’s her music that’s turning heads.
In 2019 she won the CMA award for New Artist of the Year, and last year, with Carly Pearce, she won the Grammy for Best Country Duo, for their recording of „Never Wanted To Be That Girl.“
What makes it all the sweeter is that almost all of that success arrived after McBryde took on one of her demons: alcohol. „It was just such a part of my persona,“ she said. „I was like, what do I even do, what does anybody do, if they’re not drinking?“
So pass me a bottle, and I won’t refuse it
Put Patsy on vinyl
And, good Lord, I’ll lose it
No, nothing takes the edge off when I’m going through it
Like the whiskey and country music
From „Pass Me The Bottle“
McBryde had more than dipped her toe into the music scene.
