“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.
St. Patrick's Day
Ashley Ray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Six years-old
Sippin' Shirley Temples with pockets full of gold
I made the jukebox play
Stevie Ray, and he looks at me
Like the apple of his eye didn't fall far from the tree
8-ball corner pocket
She lights a cigarette
And daddy's talkin' trash
And he leans on back
And he winks at me
Like the apple of his eye didn't fall far from the tree
Tonight the shuffleboards
And the Bud Light sign
Take me back to 1989
And I'm a dancing queen
In Levi jeans
And he looks at me
Like the apple of his eye didn't fall far from the tree
In Ashley Ray's song St. Patrick's Day, she takes us on a nostalgic journey down memory lane back to when she was six years old. She reminisces about sitting in the bar with her parents, sipping Shirley Temples, and having pockets full of gold. She remembers making the jukebox play Stevie Ray's music, and how her dad looked at her with fondness, like the apple of his eye.
The scene then shifts to her parents, with her mom placing bets and her dad talking trash while playing pool. Despite their differences, they share a bond that Ray recognizes, and she feels like she is closely related to both of them. The reference to the apple of his eye suggests that she is the precious daughter of both parents and they both take pride in her.
The song then takes us to the present time in the bar, where Ray sees the shuffleboards and Bud Light sign, which take her back to when she was dancing to music in Levi jeans in 1989. She remembers how her dad looked at her then, again with the same fondness as when she was a child. The lyrics suggest that her parents' love and acceptance have never wavered throughout her life, and that she is grateful for the memories they created together.
Line by Line Meaning
Saint Patrick's Day
Referring to a specific day in time
Six years-old
The age of the singer at the time being described
Sippin' Shirley Temples with pockets full of gold
Drinking non-alcoholic beverages and feeling wealthy or fortunate
I made the jukebox play
Choosing and activating the playing of a specific song through a machine
Stevie Ray, and he looks at me
Stevie Ray Vaughan, who is being referenced in the song and who the artist has a connection with
Like the apple of his eye didn't fall far from the tree
The singer is similar to Stevie Ray Vaughan in some way
Mamas chalkin' up, placing bets
The mother is preparing for a game of pool and wagering money
8-ball corner pocket
Referring to a specific goal in the game of pool
She lights a cigarette
Smoking a tobacco product
And daddy's talkin' trash
Engaging in playful or boastful taunting
And he leans on back
Relaxing and becoming more comfortable in his position
And he winks at me
Making a nonverbal gesture to the artist to communicate fondness or approval
Tonight the shuffleboards
A reference to a physical location or activity
And the Bud Light sign
The singer is noticing a particular brand of beer
Take me back to 1989
A nostalgic reference to a specific time period
And I'm a dancing queen
The artist is dancing and feels a sense of grandeur or happiness
In Levi jeans
Wearing a specific brand and style of denim pants
And he looks at me
A reference to Stevie Ray Vaughan's gaze
Like the apple of his eye didn't fall far from the tree
The singer feels a connection or similarity with Stevie Ray Vaughan
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Sean McConnell, Ashley Ray
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bruceearl4453
So moving. This lady writes the most ace songs.
@AshleyRayOfficial
Thank you!!!!!
@MamazitaCole
Love it, Ashley ❤☘️🙏
@AshleyRayOfficial
Thank you ❤️🫶❤️
@iamthearmul
Very beautiful song of father-daughter bond. Having a 6 yo daughter right now I can very much relate to this as a father.
@AshleyRayOfficial
Aw thank you so much!! These are the comments are conversations that keep me writing and making music xo
@jennifermacdougall5968
Seen you last night in Richmond. You played this song and I became teary-eyed. My mom and dad owned a irish pub in Detroit and this song was my childhood right down to stevey ray .... thank you for the walk down memory lane.
@AshleyRayOfficial
Oh my goodness Jennifer, thank you for the kind words and connecting with my music so beautifully. Please follow me on facebook or instagram? And if you'd like to be added to my email list so I can let you know when were back in your area, just DM me your email. Much love! - Ashley
@theresafaye316
This is so beautiful Ashley! I love it so much! 😍
@AshleyRayOfficial
Thank you so much!! ♥