EP. 113 ASHLEY FELTON! Blending 90s Heart With Today’s Country

Send us Fan MailCountry music hits different when you hear the story behind the song. We welcome Southern California’s own Ashley Felton, a powerhouse vocalist who blends the heart of 90s country with a bold, modern edge—and a schedule packed with 150-plus shows a year. We talk about the real work of building a career today: how to win over a room with covers, invite them into your originals, and make the numbers add up when recording a single costs thousands and streaming pays in pennies.Ashley opens up about her writing process—lyrics and melody arriving together in voice memos, car rides becoming mobile studios, and the moment a song proves it should be recorded only after it survives weeks of live testing. We get into the art and pressure of co-writes, why taking someone else’s song requires care, and how a playful track like Two Step became a dive-bar music video with a storyline fans love. There’s plenty of scene-building too: writers rounds with Nashville on the Coast, a supportive circle of independent artists sharing the playbook instead of gatekeeping, and the practical steps that led to bookings at the House of Blues, the OC Fair, and ticketed showcases like the Tiki Bar.What stands out is Ashley’s grounded life and grit. She’s a mom and a special education teacher who still finds time to craft, record, and perform, bringing honesty to songs like From the Start—a tender, heart-forward single about learning to be loved through old scars. If you care about live music, original songwriting, and the truth about how artists actually make it work, this conversation will meet you right where you listen.If you enjoyed this, tap follow, share it with a friend who loves country, and leave a quick review—your words help more listeners find the show.Support the showThanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAMI also welcome your comments. email: [email protected]