When Ashley Wineland’s song, “Tumbleweed,” came across my email, I knew from the heartfelt song that I wanted to feature the artist. The more I dug into her bio, the more intrigued I became.
I was interested in how Wineland got her start in music. She said, “I have always had a strong love for the performing arts and just telling stories, especially in front of people.”
She loved singing, dancing, and playing trumpet in her school band. Now that she had additional educational and learning opportunities, she wanted to do more.
Wineland began her musical career at age 14. She has since released three albums, including Family Business (2016) and Simple Life (2020), with a much anticipated third, I’m Gonna Ride, released before her 2022 National headlining tour. Her dedication, talent, and genuine connection with fans have propelled her to the forefront of music, gracing top events for TV, radio, and magazine covers.
But that is not all the artist did. She spent her youth as a “desert rat” hiking, quadding, water skiing, snorkeling, and fishing. She is always outdoors and continues to ride horses and barrel race. She also knits and crochets to decompress while touring.
I was impressed that Wineland has a degree from Arizona State University (ASU) in Film and Media Studies. ASU was one of the first universities to go online, and since she couldn’t tour and go to college, she got her bachelor’s degree all while touring full-time.
You can see the influence of her film background with her stellar music videos on her newest singles, such as the rocking “Heartbreak Boots,” the hardcore “Crank It Up,” and the reflective “I’m Going Home.”
“Tumbleweed” was released on September 27, and its video is as much like a short movie as an epic song.
The song is about a guy who professes his love, but before you know it, he tumbles right out of your life because something new and shiny has caught his attention.
She explained, “When I write music, I always envision it as if I was going to make a music video for it. Songs play out to me visually in my mind. It’s never a far stretch of the imagination to put a song in a visual format.”
She said of the video, “‘Tumbleweed‘ was a fun and different story as we’re telling it from a different perspective. I am not playing the main character but am more like a narrator. I can’t wait for you to see this visual journey of love, heartbreak, and everything that happens.”
Another thing that piqued my interest was that Carrie Underwood and Underwood’s producer Marti Frederiksen wrote the songs “Heartbreak Boots” and “Crank It Up.” How do you get access to two Carrie Underwood songs in your repertoire?
It turns out that Marti Frederiksen is also Wineland’s producer who wrote Underwood’s “Undo It” and “Mama’s Song.” He knew Underwood had these songs in her catalog but never used them. Not many vocalists can do justice to an Underwood song, but Wineland was up for the job.
Frederiksen told her, “Man, I have some really great songs, and I think you would do them so much justice. And I would love for them to see the light of day.”
Underwood and her team had to approve and gladly gave it.
“It was such a high caliber to hold up to. I’m so glad I get to be the one who brings the songs to life and shares them with the world,” Wineland expressed.
Drawing inspiration from Gretchen Wilson, Underwood, and Miranda Lambert, these trailblazing artists before her have all contributed to shaping Wineland. Her dynamic vocals, soul-stirring sound, and lyrical content are baked together under the same country desert sky.
She looks up to artists who have broken the mold of the typical female country artist. They, like Wineland, have the gumption to stand behind their convictions and produce music the way they want it to be.
Renowned for her unwavering support of veterans, Ashley has performed the National Anthem at MLB, NFL, NASCAR, and Supercross Championships. Recently, she performed at Phoenix’s 22K-seat AK-Chin Pavilion alongside Aaron Lewis and Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry for “A Salute to American Vets.”
Her can-do attitude drives her and has garnered her a devoted fanbase known as “Winelanders.”
Wineland is a natural force and the epitome of country music. Just as her boots are firmly planted in the Arizona dirt, her music resonates with the raw authenticity of her outdoor lifestyle. With each new music milestone, she shifts into top gear, her hands gripped tight, ready for the next leg of her journey.
Keep up with Wineland on her website, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and all streaming services.
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Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. You can follow her blog, Facebook, Instagram, and X.
