Budding country singer Ashley Ryan only has one thing on her mind, and she’s spilling it all in her new single “One Tractor Mind.”
The Corona, California native latest release, which dropped earlier this month (July 14), taps into an infectious, mid-tempo 90’s sound that you can’t get enough of. Originally written for a man to sing, Ryan added her own flirty flare to make the song a certified bop that’s filled with just enough sass.
“[This song is] one of my favorite songs to perform live,” Ryan tells Celeb Secrets of the flirtatious ode to a farmer love interest. “It was originally written for a man to sing, but I loved it. When my manager at the time said it was just sitting on the shelf and no one had plans to cut it, I asked if we could maybe rewrite some of the lyrics to fit my perspective so I could [cut it]. I changed some melodies here and there, and the Ashley Ryan version was born.”
“One Tractor Mind” isn’t just any regular tune you hear. The country songstress shares that her vision for this song was the exact same one that made her fall in love with country music in the first place, hoping that the listener will experience nostalgia while playing “One Tractor Mind.”
“I want my music to sound like what made me fall in love with it. I want people to hear ‘One Tractor Mind’ and feel nostalgic and be reminded of the country music they fell in love with as kids. That sort of light-hearted, fun, easy-going music that makes you want to get up and dance or drive down a dirt road with the windows rolled down!”
It’s always been in Ryan’s blood to be a singer-songwriter. Her initial love for poetry early on led to a natural progression into songwriting at the young age of 16, when her grandfather gifted her her first guitar. “I didn’t have anyone to sing my songs, so I started singing them myself, and it just seemed to work,” she shares.
Shortly after discovering her vocal talents, and after giving college a try in her home state, she ventured east to Nashville to continue her journey (and college at Belmont University) in Music City. No challenge big or small could stop this girl from chasing her dreams.
Shortly after the move to Nashville, her talents were recognized by 4x GRAMMY® Award-winning country star Keith Urban at a private event, which was a memory that she says she’ll cherish forever.
“The whole experience was just incredible. Keith is so kind and so down to earth. He has such a great team of people working with him and they all made me feel very welcomed,” she recalls. “Singing to a sold out show where all you can see are white dots from peoples iPhones was absolutely unreal. I wasn’t nervous at all, which I fully give credit to Jesus for, cause I don’t know how I wasn’t shaking. I just felt like I was supposed to be there and was able to enjoy it and have fun.”
Capturing emotions from heartbreak to honky tonk, Ashley’s music provides listeners with an energy and authenticity that gives listeners a classic country tune with a modernized twist. We sat down with her (virtually) to talk all things “One Tractor Mind” while learning more about chasing her dreams and plans for the rest of the year. Check out our full Q&A down below and don’t forget to listen to “One Track Mind.” Let us know what you think of the track by leaving a reaction down below or sending us a DM on Instagram at @celebsecrets.
Celeb Secrets: You’re so courageous for uprooting to Nashville to chase your dreams, how was that experience/ what would you say to others who also want to make a big leap for their future?
Ashley Ryan: “It was very exciting! Everything felt so unfamiliar and new to me when I first moved to town and I found a lot of adventure and possibility in that! It has definitely been one of the best decisions I have ever made and I’m thankful to have met so many amazing and talented people here that have made Nashville feel like home to me. To anyone who is chasing a dream, do the things that scare you most! We are our own worst enemy and the only thing holding us back from our own potential. If you have a passion lit fire inside of you, feed that fire, don’t put it out and don’t be discouraged by a challenge.”
CS: We know Keith Urban is someone who recognized your talented music skills. Can you talk about how your experience was duetting with him and singing at his sold-out show in Nashville? Were you nervous, excited, all of the above?
AR: “Singing with Keith Urban is a memory I will cherish forever! He is so kind and so down to earth. The whole experience was just incredible. He has such a great team of people working with him and they all made me feel very welcomed. Of course, singing to a sold out show where all you can see are white dots from peoples iPhones was absolutely unreal. I wasn’t nervous at all, which I fully give credit to Jesus for, cause I don’t know how I wasn’t shaking! I just felt like I was supposed to be there and was able to enjoy it and have fun! It’s so easy to get caught up in the mundane and feel discouraged in a career path like music, so that experience really reminded me of why I moved to Nashville. Since that day, I have had “play my own sold out show at Bridgestone” on my prayer board at home! Haha! Shoutout to Keith Urban for blessing me with that experience!”
CS: We are SO ready for a flirty, summer anthem. What was your inspiration for “One Tractor Mind?” Was there a personal experience that led to the making of the song?
AR: “The funny thing about ‘One Tractor Mind’ is that it was originally written for a man to sing. I was with my manager at the time when he showed me the song, which was written by Larry McCoy, Greg Bates and Frank Stopak. I loved it, and when he said it was just sitting on the shelf and no one had plans to cut it, I asked if we could maybe rewrite some of the lyrics to fit my perspective so I could cut it! They all loved the idea and we went in and I changed some melodies here and there, and the Ashley Ryan version was born. I’m so happy it all worked because it’s one of my favorite songs to perform live.”
CS: What are the rest of your plans for 2023?
AR: “2023 is going to be full of new music, live shows, and a radio tour we are gearing up for in a couple weeks! I’m also really excited to play Rock the Sox July 29th at the Chicago White Sox game.”
CS: Early on you had a penchant for poetry, do you have a favorite poet? Do you still write poetry or is that incorporated into your music today?
AR: “I don’t know if I ever had a favorite poet. I always just wrote down my thoughts and tried to be creative with them in a way where they told a story. I credit that a lot to what I write now! As a writer, my favorite thing to do is tell a story from multiple different perspectives, but always have my own twist on it. Very seldom do I write literal lyrics. I’m much more a storyteller and metaphorical lyricist.”
CS: Your grandfather was the one who gifted you your first guitar. Did he play or was this your first choice of instrument? Were you self taught?
AR: “He gifted me a guitar when I was 16 after he learned about my passion for writing. He wasn’t a player himself, but always had an appreciation for music. I was writing all the time after that. I was playing with melodies and trying to learn as many chords as I could, and eventually I was able to hold my own on the guitar!”
CS: What’s the overall message you hope fans will take away from “One Tractor Mind?”
AR: “I love country music with steel and fiddle. It’s the 90’s to early 2000’s style of country that made me want to become a country singer/songwriter. With that being said, I want my music to sound like what made me fall in love with it. I want people to hear “One Tractor Mind” and my other songs and feel nostalgic and be reminded of the country music they fell in love with as kids. That sort of light-hearted, fun, easy-going music that makes you want to get up and dance or drive down a dirt road with the windows rolled down!”
CS: You grew up singing Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert, have you had the opportunity to meet them yet? If so, how was it? If not, have you met any ” big sisters” in the biz’ yet?
AR: “I haven’t had the chance to meet Carrie or Miranda, but I am definitely looking forward to that day. They have inspired me so much and I would love to hopefully collaborate with either of them in the future! I will say, I have met Kelsea Ballerini when I sang with Keith Urban, since she was opening for him on his tour. She was a sweetheart and told me I did a great job after I got off the stage, which I thought was so kind of her! I’ve also had brief interactions with Carly Pearce and Lindsay Ell. They both are very sweet girls!”
CS: Can fans expect a music video for “One Tractor Mind” Or are any music videos or other projects in the works yet?
AR: “I don’t want to give anything away, but I will say that we have a lot of new music coming and fun video content as well that I cannot wait to share! So y’all stay tuned.”
CS: Since we’re Celeb Secrets, do you have any secrets (fun facts) about yourself and making the song “One Tractor Mind” that we wouldn’t know just by listening to the song?
AR: “A fun fact about me is that I absolutely love to dance. One of my favorite things to do for fun is to go two stepping at the honkytonk on the weekends with friends. I think that’s another reason I got excited about ‘One Tractor Mind,’ because it’s an upbeat jam that’s so easy to dance to! If I can picture people dancing to it at the honkytonk, then I feel pretty good about it!”
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