Interview with Music Row Charting Artist Ashley Puckett

Since the release of her 2020 debut album, “Never Say Never,” Pittsburgh’s Ashley Puckett has enjoyed enormous success, spring-boarding her onto the international country music radar. Her album has racked up an incredible 450K+ Spotify streams. Her single, “Bulletproof” reached #1 on the New Music Weekly AM/FM radio chart, also reaching #1 on the international iTunes sales charts. Two more singles also reached the Top 10 radio and sales charts, while ushering in a 2022 International Singer Songwriter Association (ISSA) Award for US Female Emerging Artist. Ashley recently scored her first Music Row charting single, “Tequila.” For more information, visit www.ashleypuckett.com

Congrats on the success of your latest single, "Tequila." It hit the Music Row top 85 and is still on some other country charts. What has the song's success meant to you?

Thank you! This song in particular having so much success has been truly touching to me. This is the first song that I was able to release to the world that I had written. I’ve been writing all my life and to finally be able to share my own work was, alone, an incredible feeling, but to have it become such a success is just mind blowing.

What is your creative process like? Do you sit down in a dark room with a glass of wine? What gets you in the creative mood?

My writing style is kind of all over the place. I have a lot of ideas that come to me at random, so I’m always making voice memos or notes on my phone and eventually they get finished, when I am inspired. I get my songs and inspiration from real life so anything big or small can sometimes initiate my creative flow.

Tell us about your family life. What was growing up in the Pittsburgh area like?

I grew up just outside of the city and I really enjoyed it. I kind of got the best of both worlds with country and City life. I’m very close with my family, they are amazing rocks and huge supporters of everything that I do. I really don’t know how I can show more gratitude to them, but they really do deserve it.

What and who are you listening to these days?

I’ve been listening to a lot of Miranda, Runaway June, Mitchell Tenpenny, Chris Stapleton, to name a few lately.

Tell us about the biggest performance of your career, so far?

By far my best performance and best night ever was opening for Mark Chesnutt at Jergel’s Rhythm Grill in Warrendale, PA. It was my most important show for starters and I was just honored to open for Mark! I just started playing with my new guitarist, Lee also, so it was kind of like a new start to a new chapter with shows. I was really excited; I thought it went well and I had fun. After the performance I was kind of all over the place at the Venue haha. I watched Mark perform, hung out with some of my friends and family in their cigar lounge. It was just an absolute blast!

If you could change one thing about the music industry what would it be?

I’m not sure how, but I’d try my best to find a way to Bridge the opportunities for success for independent artists. There’s a handful that do very well, but I just feel there’s something missing for us.

What is one song that is a favorite of yours, that you wish you had written?

Hmm. That’s a good question. I’d probably pick “Because you love me” or “Even God Must Get The Blues” from Jo Dee Messina.

If you could be in one band, which one would it be, and why?

I grew up wanting to be one of the Dixie Chicks since I was five years old. Today, I’d probably say Little Big Town or Runaway June

What's next for you, Ashley? Any plans for a new EP or album?

Well, I have one release lined up that I’m just as excited about and maybe even a little more excited about than “Tequila”. It’s a song I wrote during my 30th birthday vacation and it’s really special to me. So I can’t wait for you all to hear it. As for another album, I really do hope that’s in the cards sometime. I’m not planning on stopping anytime soon.