“My mom says when I was about five I told her that I was going to be a priest and a part time veterinarian, but that lasted about five minutes. Music has always been such a huge part of my life that I couldn't escape from it even if I wanted to. I set my mind a long time ago to achieving this, and that's where it's been ever since.
The chestnut-haired singer/songwriter left Lawrence, KS, after high school to pursue her musical dreams and hone her songwriting skills in the Music City. Just four years later, she has landed a songwriting deal with Sony ATV Tree, earned a BBA from music school heavyweight Belmont University, and built a loyal following for her cool brand of country music.
But it is to her Midwestern roots and solid family values that Ashley credits a great deal of her work ethic and determination.
“My mom has worked for United Parcel Service (UPS) for over 20 years. She's done everything from working the counter to driving those big ‘ol brown trucks. She's about 5'5 and 115 lbs soak n' wet, yet she's the strongest woman that I'll ever know. My Dad worked most of his life as a construction worker. He built everything he had from the ground up - from houses and car engines, to what he wanted most in life, a beautiful and very loving family.”
With mental strength and focused ambition, Ashley continues to win fans over with her yearning voice and heartfelt lyrics. Whether rockin’ out with her band to a rowdy, beer-soaked crowd, or sitting in pin-drop silence at a writers’ round with just her acoustic guitar and captivating voice, Ashley’s performance assaults the senses while her lyrics serenade the soul.
Performing live has become second nature to Ashley, having shared the stage with some of country music’s hottest stars including Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert, and Cross Canadian Ragweed to name a few. “Performing live is the real deal. You've got the band, the crowd, your best songs – it’s the reason why we do what we do.”
While nothing gets her blood pumping like playing for a live crowd of “crazy people, beer drinkers, partiers who love country music and love to have a good time,” she also needs alone time to think, reflect and focus on songwriting. The self-proclaimed
perfectionist is constantly on the look out for inspiration and always striving for accomplishment. “If I'm inspired while I'm writing, chances are that others will be inspired when they hear it. I don't care if it’s a love song, a getting over love song, or a making love song...if it makes me and/or anyone else feel something then it was worth writing. Hit or no hit.”
While her resume already reads thick with some of country music’s biggest names, that doesn’t stop her for reaching for the stars. “In my wildest dreams I would write one with Kasey Chambers, jam with the Dixie Chicks, sing one with Kelly Willis, drink one with Bob Seger, and roll one with Willie”, says Ashley.
From a grade school dreamer with nothing but a pawn shop guitar, to a focused young woman on the verge of stardom, Ashley Ray just wants to be remembered for making REAL music.
“In a perfect world I want my style of real country music to be heard everywhere…all around the world.”
At this rate, it will be.
Lawrence Kansas
Ashley Ray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lawrence, Kansas
I'm losing my roots and
I been a-blowin' in the wind
God, I need to throw a rock in the Wakarusa
Race a dog down a dirt road
Hear a screen door slam
Mama, I was born a
Rollin' stone
But I wanna go home
God, I needa take a walk down Massachusetts
Listen to Beautiful Loser
Follow the stars back home
Just like the blinking lights of
Blue Mound tower
You ain't ever really lost if you can seem 'em glow
Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh
Daddy, I was born a
Rollin' stone
But I wanna go home
Ain't nobody singing songs about
Lawrence, Kansas
She ain't Los Angeles
Don't roll off the tongue
She don't sparkle like the lights of New York City
She ain't that kinda pretty
But she's where I'm from
Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh
Baby, I was born a
Rollin' stone
Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh
Baby, I was born a
Rollin' stone
But I wanna go home
The song "Lawrence, Kansas" by Ashley Ray is a heartfelt ode to the place where she grew up and the longing she feels to return there. The lyrics express a deep sense of being disconnected from her roots, and the need to reconnect with the simple things that make life in Lawrence so special. It's a song about nostalgia, about the ineffable way that home can call to us, no matter how far away we may be.
The opening lines of the song convey this longing right away: "Think I needa get back to Lawrence, Kansas / I'm losing my roots and I been a-blowin' in the wind." Here, Ashley Ray is expressing the feeling that her life is adrift and she is losing touch with the things that matter most to her. She expresses her desire to do simple things, like "throw a rock in the Wakarusa" and "race a dog down a dirt road." These images convey a sense of innocence and playfulness that is associated with childhood, and with a simpler way of life.
As the song continues, it becomes clear that what Ashley Ray really wants is to go home: "But I wanna go home." She dreams of taking a walk down Massachusetts, the main street in Lawrence, and listening to Bob Seger's "Beautiful Loser" on the radio. She wants to marvel at the stars above and the blinking lights of the Blue Mound tower, a landmark in the area that is visible from miles around. Ultimately, the song is a love letter to Lawrence, a place that is often overlooked but holds a special place in Ashley Ray's heart.
Line by Line Meaning
Think I needa get back to Lawrence, Kansas
I feel I have to return to Lawrence, Kansas
I'm losing my roots and I been a-blowin' in the wind
I am losing the connection to my roots and live aimlessly
God, I need to throw a rock in the Wakarusa
I need to do something familiar and comforting to me, like throwing a rock in the Wakarusa river
Race a dog down a dirt road, Hear a screen door slam
I want to experience the simple life I grew up with - racing dogs and hearing screen doors on dirt roads
Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh Mama, I was born a Rollin' stone But I wanna go home
Despite being born to live on the move, I long for the comfort and familiarity of my home
God, I needa take a walk down Massachusetts, Listen to Beautiful Loser, Follow the stars back home
I crave walking down Massachusetts street, listening to 'Beautiful Loser,' and following the stars to find my way back home
Just like the blinking lights of Blue Mound tower, You ain't ever really lost if you can seem 'em glow
The blinking lights of Blue Mound tower act as a beacon to guide me home, and as long as I can see them, I am never truly lost
Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh Daddy, I was born a Rollin' stone But I wanna go home
Even though I was destined to live a life on the move, I yearn to return home to Lawrence, Kansas
Ain't nobody singing songs about Lawrence, Kansas, She ain't Los Angeles, Don't roll off the tongue
Lawrence, Kansas is not a popular topic in songs or media because it does not have the glamour of Los Angeles and its name is not as catchy
She don't sparkle like the lights of New York City, She ain't that kinda pretty
Lawrence, Kansas does not have the same allure as the bright lights of New York City or the beauty that people associate with a 'pretty' place
But she's where I'm from
Despite not being a glamorous place, Lawrence, Kansas is where I was raised and will always hold a special place in my heart
Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh Baby, I was born a Rollin' stone
As a free-spirited person, I was born to wander and live freely
But I wanna go home
Although I feel destined to live a life of movement and exploration, I long to return to my hometown of Lawrence, Kansas
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Ashley Ray, Sean Mcconell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind