Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Brown Words to go around the world on the World
Wide West leading joy hearing Others Shoes. Oh Yeah, broadcasting
(00:24):
live in the Joseih Network Studios in downtown Madonna to
the Sieves.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
It's that time a week again.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
It's time for the Josie Shoes, bringing you the most
exciting music news and guests from around the world right
here on the Josie Hill. Please make walking. It's the
beautiful Hannones he Lovely American's Verady Else Sweetheart Business, Josie
(01:00):
ass and ven Over.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Hello everyone, and welcome to the Josie Show. I'm so
excited we have a great show for you all because
we have a fantastic guest. We have Ashton Sheppard joining us.
And for all of you who may not know, she
is going to be at the tenth Annual Josie Music Awards.
She will be one of our special guest performers and presenters.
(01:28):
So I'm really looking forward to it on October twenty
seventh at the Grand Ole Opry House there in Nashville, Tennessee.
So we're going to talk to her about that and
what she has going on music wise, and so much
more so I hope you all enjoy it here it
is Hello Ashtitch, Hi, how are you?
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Hi?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
And good Harry doing great. It's an honor to have
you with us.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
I've been looking forward to this. I have to you
and I'll prey scheck y'all very much. I thank a
lot of y'all, and I'm very proud to be supported
in such a manner. I appreciate it pleasure anytime.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
We're so excited for you and what you have coming up.
So can you tell us a little bit about that.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
You have any new music that you're working on. I do,
I'm actually I spoke with well, I guess you'd say
that the most higher up person of this new label
that I'm working with, I spoke with him yesterday and
well last night. I think we all have that tendency
to be an eye als, I think. But I spoke
(02:31):
with them and got material, uh cut and ready to go.
Of course, it's going to be a little bit, probably
a month or two or something like that before the
label launches, but all of these things will be more
able to be transpired and placed out to everybody at
that point. But we are working on it, and you know,
(02:52):
we've been in the studio and we've created some really
magical things. I feel like is some of the some
of the most that I've ever recorded in my career.
It's kind of like a graduation. It's not necessarily that
I'm not being the asking shepherd that you hear on
the sounds a good album or the where Country Grows album.
It's just a graduation, as we've seen all artists do,
(03:16):
I believe, and I feel like we have to do that,
grow and continue in what we're doing. And and of
course there'll be some you know, like strict country, basic
country stuff on there too, and what I've done already
I wouldn't categorize as not country. It's just not ass
country as some of the things I've done before. But
(03:36):
they've realms and maybe cross genres and do things that
i haven't gotten to do before. So I'm very excited
about that.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
That is very exciting, and I love it. As artists,
you know, you're able to evolve, and you know as
you grow older and as we just grow older, that's
just kind of how it is. Where you're able to
really evolve and make music that you know has meaning
and we love we love your music. I'm telling you
all three albums that you've you know, put out and
the music and all of the songs over the years,
(04:05):
we have followed you and we're huge, huge fans of
your music, so we're really excited to see what is
next for you. And I'm really looking forward to kind
of hearing the new sounds that you just mentioned. So
I'm really looking for.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
Well, I'm trying to think of a way. I think
one of the ways that that I would describe it
is like Aston Shepherd meet Celein Dion. Okay, It's like
it is a little bit poppier sound, but the vocals
are no different. So all the vocals are doing is
(04:39):
expanding in the sense of reaching places I haven't gone
before with it. But it's no doubt that you know
who it is. In other words, I haven't changed my voice.
It's just a matter of the production and the things
behind it. I use example, and I've used it before.
Children my well, I've got three children. But I showed
(05:02):
my my oldest son and my daughter, uh wait, Shelton
first single Austin, and I love to hear it. I
didn't even show them who it was because they don't know,
you know what I mean. They was before their time.
But I love Hear It and played on God's Country
and the difference between those two songs is just insane.
(05:23):
But you know what, Blake Shelton, it's just exactly it
was elevated. It was just taken to a higher place.
I feel like for him, you know, showing that he
in autist. It's just like with painting, you can't always
paint the same picture. You know, You've got to you
gotta do different things to not hit that flask hose,
(05:45):
you know what I'm saying. Absolutely, And so I'm very,
very excited about about this. It's so different for me.
It's such a different ah, And I don't and I
don't want to present it like it's a different that
like I said that, people aren't going to recognize the
fashion Shepherd. Oh they'll know, you know. But it's just
(06:09):
exciting to me that that I am given this opportunity
to make that kind of a step because I've never
been the one opportunity because you know, half for so
many years. It's like playing the guitar for so long,
you hit a place that you're like, well, am I
gonna ever get any better than this? Am I? Where's
my next step? Where's my next not where do I
(06:29):
how do I keep climbing up the ladder here? And
I appreciate y'all very much for giving me the opportunity
to speak about that, and for supporting me and being fans.
It has been the one thing that's never left to me.
It's been fans and my music, you know, and all
the things go on through a lot. I've never I've
never been left by that ever, So absolutely that means
(06:53):
a lot.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Oh absolutely, it's true. And ashion Shepherd Fence, we we
would follow you. And here you know, well, we're just
so excited to hear you know, the new music and uh,
you know, all of the music that you have released
up to this point have been phenomenal. But we're just
so excited to hear you know, new music. And it
sounds like it sounds like you've really evolved, but it's
(07:17):
still you, you know what I mean. You still kept up
for yourself, you know, and which I think is great,
which I think is so great that you still are
able to keep it you you know, you know you you.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
As an artist, you as a creative person, you know,
you as that person or anybody that is creative that
that that listens knows that you know, you can't really
a real creative person can't make something that isn't them
to start with. They don't know that, and so therefore
(07:52):
what you do. You know, you can tell when you're
doing something that don't don't fit you for it doesn't match,
it feels off. But what I'm doing right now I
feel so excited about because, like I said, I just
feel like it's a graduation of Hey, and not only that,
but you know what, these other all my other materials
(08:14):
to there everybody listen to, and you know what we're
thinking about also maybe placing a Gospels Home or so
on the album that I've written, so that that will
be a different a whole different genre and a whole
different That's what I'm so excited about is being able
to release something that hits so many different markets and
(08:37):
could be done in a way that doesn't just box
you some about what y'all are doing with the Joke
Awards and how y'all are you know, amplifying people that
are doing things independently that you know what I mean,
like to be able to show people different ways to
do things that you know what I mean? This isn't
(08:58):
you know it doesn't have to just live in this
little box over here.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Not at all, not at all.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
You can spread your wings.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
I love that, and that's what I love about you
as well. And do you feel you're able to be
more creative and you know, kind of put your own
spin on things and be a little bit more of
your own person now that you kind of, you know,
don't have someone maybe you know, telling you what you
have to sound like or what you have to do.
You know you're able to kind of be your own
person and more creative with your own music. Do you
(09:26):
feel it's more open?
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Yeah? Yeah, I mean I feel like, well, it's a
it's a great question. It's like I feel I was
when I was a universal. I have, you know, no
real negative things to say about them, But when I
was with them and I made that first album, they
(09:50):
let me cut. I mean, I had right at eight
or nine songs on that album. They they took me
from nowhere a zero, and they believed in me enough
to let me cust that much of my own material.
My first two things I wrote one hundred percent that
went inside to the top of it sing on Billboard,
(10:11):
and they they allowed that for me, and they promoted me,
and then you know, your question being about the living
on with it and graduating has been in other words,
the first album, the free se Right, but then the
(10:32):
second one they were more domineering over me in the
sense of what they were looking for me to write
well what they expected, and I did what I thought
laid to them better because they were looking for something
that I couldn't even pinpoint, but I was trying inside.
(10:53):
Being independent, I have realized that the fans, it doesn't
matter to them which songs, what song or foe is
or uh how what the lengths of it is, or
anything else the fans or fans regardless. And and you
don't have those same stipulations over you when you're independent,
(11:15):
but now change because you don't have the same promotions.
You know, that's where a lot of the issue is hate.
The funding isn't there anymore? You know, who who has
business capital enough to do what Universal could do? You
know that's very difficult. Yeah, but all at the same time,
I feel like that I've expanded in myself in the
(11:40):
sense of your mind can become warped as an artist
and the writer when when you're being when something's being
forced down your throat a lot, and when you're being
told turning them songs that get turned down and you
don't know why, and then you're searching within yourself of
what you are supposed to write and what And I
even specifically asked and on point, what are y'all looking for?
(12:01):
You know, what do y'all want me to write? It's bailments.
But they couldn't tailment. They didn't give me an answer.
So it kind of messed with my head, so to speak,
in a way. But now that I haven't had that
h it has helped me broaden who I am as
a writer and who I am as a person and
an artist.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Definitely, definitely I love that and and I and why
I asked you that was because you've kind of seen
both sides of the coin. You know, you were signed
independent as well, and I think you're such a great
inspiration to those that are you know, independent and are
still doing their their thing because you've always stayed, you know,
true to yourself. And also you're a writer, you know,
(12:43):
so you you put out you know, music that means
something to you and and that could touch other people
as well. And uh so I think that I think
that question was perfect for you because you've really seen
kind of everything, you know what I mean? And uh
so I think I think that's great. I'm so excited
about that new music. I really really am. Do you
feel like your songwriting style has changed a bit or
(13:05):
do you feel like it's kind of back to where
it was?
Speaker 1 (13:08):
Maybe? See, I can say that has changed because as
I grew as a writer, and I grew a lot
in co writing, because I wrote so much by myself,
and I grew so much inside co writing because Bobby Benson,
I use him for an example. Me and Bobby don't
even talk that much anymore, but I use him for
(13:30):
an example because he not just him, but different toward Jones, Dean, Dialing,
multiple different people that I wrote with, Chris Safleton. I
would even learn different forms of set down that they
would do on the guitar while they played, or listening
(13:54):
to how they did things melodically, like how they did
their melodies, how they approached in the song versus how
I would write a song. And I learned from them,
and I've learned a lot of things through all that
and through time, and it's changed who I am as
a writer, but not in a negative way it is
only I feel like it has only made me grow. Yeah,
(14:18):
that's what you know what I mean, Like, I feel
like you know when I'm sit down to write a
song now. And of course digital things have changed everybody's
world in the sense of okay, even when I first
got my record deal, everybody at the record label had blackberries.
That was the big thing, meaning over representatives and everything.
(14:42):
There weren't no smartphones and I didn't even have a
smartphone until like twenty thirteen, twenty fourteen. Area. I didn't
even have one. I had a little flip phone or whatever,
and I was more I was more capable at that point.
I kept in which I still do now. I'm really
big gonna write my songs down. I like to write
(15:02):
them down in a notebook. I don't care. I can
put it. I can put up my notes on my phone,
but i'd rather have I'd rather have that in my
hand and have it in in a notebook. But it
is changed how I've written because now I'll like something,
I'll hit my record button on my phone and it's
(15:23):
not in the studio, but I'll just write straight through.
And so I do right different now and my songs
are different now. The subject matters are different now. I
think the thing I'm lacking the most is funk because
I've kind of gone through some downtimes so i don't
have as much of the look it up and you
know colber in my right hand kind of attitude. I'd
(15:46):
like to get a bit more of my spump back.
But my writing have definitely changed.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
Yeah, I love I love that though. You know that
you've really, you know, kind of grew and nowadays, I
mean it's so it's so interesting technology because there's apps
for like everything now when you can see all these
different music apps and stuff that you can like record,
you know, different different things.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
And I need to find the people that uh that
I need to find the people whoever it is that
I could endure tell anybody right now. I'll say it
right now on this interview voice recorder pro free. Have
they paid me anything? And am I getting paid for
say anything about them? No? I'm not. So I can
(16:33):
tell anybody because I know, I know what a difference
that app has made to me. It is it's free
and it has a little red microphone to side it
when you look at Google Play. If that's what you've
got or if you've got the outstore and it allows
you to record inside of that app and then you
(16:54):
can go back, you can you can add a little
reverb to it in the trim and effect. You can
speed it up a little bit if you want to, Uh,
all kinds of different things. But even I don't know
exactly how to use it, but I do know that
I have got some stuff that sounds nearly studio quality
of just me and my guitar because of that app
and me and I believe, I mean, it is really insane.
(17:17):
And what I love about it too is if someone
is sharing songs back and forth. You know, when you
get the song, you're a arrow, it's a bottom which
I have an iPhone, so I'm an iPhone user. But
you click the bottom of that and you can save
it there. So therefore there's no timing out, there's no
having to retrieve it in the email or anything like that.
(17:38):
It saves into the voice recorder pro so you can
go back and hear it at any time when you
go to that app and it doesn't time out, you
know what I mean. Like I mean, those those kind
of tools are really incredible for for for writers and
singers nowadays and people use voice memo. Still, a voice
(17:58):
memo can be you know, and whatnot. Like I said,
I'm an iPhone user. I know all about the iPhone.
I'm not a big I'm not a big Android chown.
I got to say that, but but it's just I've
always been an Apple person because I well, I started
out with Apple because iPod, Yeah, it went, it went
(18:19):
from there, you know, and I had an Apple account
and then I had a Mac computer and so everything
that's safe around Apple rather than the Microsoft orient and stuff.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
But that's awesome, that's awesome. We have so many independent
artists that listen to this show, so I think that's
very helpful. Those little tools that you can really use,
you know, they could really help you. You know, that
thing's been a game chant for me because.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
If I you know, my other advice about it is
when you use the app, to be sure that you
place your phone. You know, if you're playing the guitar
a little elevated, I don't care if you have to
take three or four books or something and set your
phone on top of it. Your voice to be just
as recorded evenly as the guitar. You don't want one
(19:06):
thing to override the other and then putting that little
bit of reverb on it to eat is what makes
it sound very studio quality. I mean, there's so many
things and so many tools that that independence, you know,
artists can use that all can help them and and
and allow them to send things to people that doesn't
cost them anything. They can do it on their phone
(19:28):
that say they've got to getarror sit down with them
and and and and and do that. It's it's really
it's really amazing the things that, uh that can be
done through our phones. Now.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Yeah, and that is that something that is really cool.
How that can how it kind of all changes and
how things evolve and we now, uh, you know it's
a different you know artists and and songwriter. So that
is really really cool. So I hope everyone goes and
checks that out for sure, get it on, get get the.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
End, because I think it's very helpful for them. I
do persolutely.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
I agree. I agree that sounds very helpful. I love that,
and I also speaking of independent artists, I do want
to talk about this because we are so excited to
have you a part of the tenth Annuel Josie Music Words.
So you are going to be a performer and a
presenter this year, double duty. We're putting you to work.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Okay, I'm soul about it. I'm I'm tick with to
this about it. I'm telling you, I'm I'm very honest
that could get to be a part of it and
to get people to be there with you all and
represent people that love music and that are doing music
and that are trying every day. You know, it just
(20:45):
it just it makes my heart fool to be honest
with you.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Yes, well we we would not have it without you
because you are amazing, my friend, and so we're so
excited to have you a part of it, that's for sure.
And it's going to of course be at the Grand
Ole Opry House, which I'm super excited about. Do you
remember your first time, like performing at the Ifria House,
which would be your grandall Afrey debut, you know, do
you remember that first time that you performed there?
Speaker 1 (21:09):
What was that September of twenty ninth, two thousand and seven. Wow,
and my my family, you know, I bet there was
at least eighty people out there that came from home
because you know, I mean it was in the newspaper
here of course, I mean it was like Ashley Sheppard
placed Grandell Operas for the first time, and my my
(21:31):
first night on the grand Ole Opery was Porter Wagner's last. Uh.
We passed away after that, and when I got to
meet Roy Clark and Porter Wagner and uh, porter Jimmy
Dickens was there, and Bill Anderson of course, and h
multiple different artists, and man, I was so nervous. I'm
sure I was standing there at that side wing and
(21:54):
I had done drink four bottles of water. And I
get the nervous teas anyway, And I hate to say
it like that, but I didn't like, you feel like
you need to go. You don't, You're just nervous. It's
it's the thing that happened. And I looked over at
my ex husband and I said, we got any more water?
They said, asking you you've done drink it? And I
(22:15):
was like, oh, or you know when they called me out,
but I'll never forget a walking out there. And uh,
of course little Jimmy Dickens had introduced me and Bill
Anderson said a little something, and I think, if I'm
not mistaken, I was. I was scheduled to sing one song,
I think, and I think they allowed me to do
(22:36):
another one, and Bill Anderson and little Jimmy Dickens was
standing there, and I think it was Bill. She makes
so Redda Lynne look like she's from Liverpool.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
I didn't know what Liverpool. I didn't know what that meant,
Like what's right, you know what I mean, It's like
we're in New York or you're up and I don't know,
like I mean, I'm not trying to sound like I'm
dumb or anything, but I didn't know what that went,
all right, But they were so so and so warm
(23:13):
to me and very inviting, and you know, the crowd
loved it. They loved it. It was, you know, me
knocking experience for sure, because I was I was a
nervous wreck, because it's not like you've got a tele
promgra out there and you're scared you going to forget
your words or you know, this is my first I mean,
I'm standing in this circle like this is insane. But
(23:37):
but it was just so it was one of it
was one of my best experiences probably in the whole career.
Really to have the opportunity to experience that and and
to be that supported by all that was there, from
family to little Jimmy Dickens to Bill Anderson and uh
those that that saw me as it is a special
(24:00):
of course, I can't think of his name, but I
don't know if y'all know it or not. The fellow
this real sin that where's the Tucks that does all
the announcing. I cannot think of his name right now. Yeah, yeah,
and you know he was a big fan, and you
(24:20):
know it's uh so I'm so excited to enter back
onto that stage because it's been a long time since
I've played there. I you know, I don't think anything
France fired that that caused me not to play there,
except I don't know there was there was some some
and I know y'all probably say that too. It's like
some lock ups or something happened that I couldn't site
(24:42):
making any sense of because they were obviously real warm
and and and whatever. It's about me being there. But
then after my second record release, I played there a
couple of times after that, and uh, otherwise I just
really I didn't per se get invited back very much,
and I didn't know why. But that makes me extremely
(25:06):
more excited just to be there to y'all, yes, Oh,
I'm happy to have you. Man. I am too. And
I did tell my son, you know, in the in
the performance part, that he could come with me. Uh,
because he's one of the greatest musicians. And I'm not
just saying that because he's my son. I'm saying this
(25:29):
in Austin theority. He's one of the greatest musicians I've
ever played with. He's the best drummer that I've ever
played with. Now he dabbles with other instrumentations from base
to lead guitar. He's an excellent He's beyond what I
am as a rhythm guitar player by far. He surpassed
me quite some time ago. But I told him that
(25:51):
he could join me, and he is so excited. And
and I told my daughter, I said, well, if if
you can come with Mama, Mama wants you to come too,
and uh he said. Then she said, well, what are
we supposed to wear, Mama to dress like? And I said, well,
(26:15):
I got to ask them that because you know, I
didn't know whether it should be you know, a cocktail dress,
a tire or uh tire or you know what I mean.
I didn't, I said, I don't, and Mama be sure,
because you know she's at that little age. She's twelve,
and she's tall as I am. She's about five nine.
My mate be that tall young, but she's very tall
(26:38):
and real pretty, uh, fond headed, blue eyed, which is
kind of odd because my son is like me. But she's, uh,
she's definitely got that model little about her. And she said, well, Mama,
we just got to make sure that we dressed the
right way.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
Oh dress her photos or could just be.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Like a pretty black dress or something or whatever, anything
that would be Yeah. Yeah, that's what I told my daughter.
I said, I think it's kind of three versatile because
like what I wore for the Jay Leno uh performance.
You know, I had on the dress that draped and
had a little sparkles on. It was black. You know,
(27:23):
I had a little black boots on and all that,
and but then you know presage clee, I wear more
like jeans and a fool looking shirt and some cool
uh you know, jewelry and things like that.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
But I've never been like an over the top dresser.
But when it comes to like something like that, like
like when I performed uh on the PBS special for
Laura Angel's Wilder, it was a special that was called
Paul Fiddles. Everyone was was was told to wear very
(28:00):
dressy attire. So I wore a dress, a black dress
with heels. That so tically. Now would I go out
and performing that now at a regular show. No, But
because of that event, that's what I dress like. So
I did it appropriated to the event. So I thought
(28:24):
that My daughter said, well, what what should we wear? Mama?
You know right, Yeah, that's what I can't wait.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
I can't wait to meet them. I really, I really
am excited. And it's really cool. It's really cool that
your son also is really into music as well. You know,
I think that's I think that's pretty neat, like growing
up because you know, as you are at a music artist,
did you perform a lot you know with them kind
of in the audience so they kind of picked up
on it or like have they always just have been
in their blood? Like that's pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Well they James James grew up. I mean he was
a little less than two years old when I got
my record doing in c and tour that I was
involved in, Like I mean when I I mean I
was touring, Don't get me wrong, I was doing different shows,
(29:12):
that may be at this festival, that festival, whatever. But
as far as the only real consistent tour that I
was on was with sugar Land and Kelly Pickler at
the end of two thousand and eight. And my son
at that point had just turned three sing now, and
he literally he breathed and slept, you know, music. He
(29:38):
would go sit on the seekers and just kick his
little feet and be so excited watching the lights long.
He was so gold and it's just it's just thenny
I mean, my daughter didn't exactly have the same opportunity
because it wasn't long after she was born at Universal
in these party ways, so se me in music, but
(30:02):
not like my son got to see me. He started
playing drums when he was We bought him his first
drum set when he was I think about four years old,
and you know what him little he is one of the
ones from Walmarts, you know. But then at like ten eleven,
we actually got him a real pearl set of drums,
(30:23):
and which is the ones who still plays today. And
he's one of the best drummers. And he's one of
the best drummers I've ever heard. But he knows my
music so well because he knows me. We have the
same Like you're saying that it was an influence. I
guess his time, and it's like we have an internal
metronome going on, an internal click. We don't have to
(30:46):
have click all. We got to have each other. Me
and him can stand on shage with him on those
drums and just me on that rhythm guitar. We don't
have to have a bass, We don't have to have anything.
He can follow me anybody that I've ever had followed me.
And it's it's not that I say that because he's
my son, because he's a he's that into what I've
(31:08):
done and he's watched it for so long and he's
been involved so many years. And my daughter's real challenging.
She can sing her little tell off, but she's one
of them that I can't push right like she what
she wants to when she wants to, I mean, maker uh.
(31:30):
I can't make her do it. And I'm not going
to push her too hard because I want her to
decide that she wants to do it on her own.
But she is a heck of a little singer and
and and write, and she can write things. My son's
already a songwriter. He's written three or four different songs
that I literally would play on the authree like, I
(31:51):
feel that confident about her. It's not just because it's
my son. They're that good. He's a he's a writer.
Uh So I feel like my my legacy is living
on through my children too, and that is a major
so good because no matter what happens, I feel like
I have passed on what I am and who I
(32:12):
am and who I've been to them. You know, they're
really all of this too, And y'all support me so much.
It really does, because you know, you live the state
of day life every day and and you know it's
you know, when you when you live where I do,
(32:34):
you know there's there's there's there's not a whole lot here,
and there's not a whole lot of people to talk
to about these kinds of things to expand your brain
about it. And when you get to people like y'all
really understand what you're doing, and that really supports it,
really really makes the difference. Yeah about y'all whole ceremony, man,
(32:57):
I mean it's got to make a difference to all this.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
No thank you, Well, that's what we definitely hope, and
that's what we strive for, is that we you know,
could help you know, as many artists out there just
you know, to keep following your dreams. I mean, you know,
you don't have to be signed to a major label
to be successful.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
I mean, just as long.
Speaker 2 (33:15):
As you put out music that means something to you.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
You know.
Speaker 2 (33:17):
I'm trying to kind of, you know, tell artists that,
you know, music is an art, you know, and it's
it's it could be therapy, it's healing, and it can
really be something special, you know, as long as you
work hard on it and work on it and it's
something you enjoy. And you know, that's what I love
about you is you could you could tell that you
really do enjoy what you do, you know. And it
(33:38):
sounds like your kids are as well, you know, really
into music as well. So that's pretty that's pretty neat,
you know to see.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
So I love that and that My dollar are not
so much but my son right you know, through through
through my divorce with my my first husband that I
was wit in for. I think we've married about fifteen
years and that's who I had raiding and James Wiz
and he was you know, per se in my mind,
(34:06):
my soulmate, and it didn't work out. But I had
issues with my son in the sense of I think
where he was at right in this whole thing. He
didn't understand everything that was going on, and and I
wasn't shed the best light on by some people, and
(34:29):
he was he picked up on those kinds of things.
But the beauty of that and all of it is
that the music. It's fact to say, there's one thing
in TEUs is music. And that's I saw telling it.
(34:50):
It is it is strong, what I'm saying, like, no
matter what, we had that in commons, no matter what,
that couldn't be taken from us, and let the Good
Lord come to take it, because he's the one gave
it to us, right, you know. So that's that's that's
(35:10):
just a it's just a strong, strong thing. And it's
really kind of unexplainable sometimes, you know, for me strong
connections because it's so it's so deep, you know, it's
such a such a strong thing. And I tell people,
I've told multiple artists to have my life that they
(35:33):
need to be sure how passionate or not they are
about what they're doing, because as long as they really
are passionate, and they really ben't. It doesn't go anywhere.
What I mean by that is it doesn't go anywhere
from them. It can't be taken. It may explode, it
(35:54):
may say dorms, it may move a little bit or
go backwards a little bit, but no matter what, if
you are that passionate about it, it's still yours.
Speaker 2 (36:05):
M hmm, Well, then it's true. Absolutely nobody can take
that up from you. I mean, that's that's the thing.
That's something that will be with you, you know, and
and that can put you, you know through you know,
take you through the good times the hard times. You know,
it's always it's always there with you and you can
use it in any sects of your life, which I
know you do. And I think that's what's so powerful
(36:27):
about you and and other music artists out there that
you know, you you guys know that you have this
you know, this gift. You know, you have this power
to be able to bring music into the world and
kind of put music out there that other people can enjoy.
It's a great thing, it really is, and it helps
a lot of people.
Speaker 1 (36:45):
It does. Oh you know when you get yeah, yeah,
it's like it's like the movie The Senderellamance, you know, yeah,
when when people were I mean this was during the
Great Depression, people didn't have any money. They were just lost.
And I guess what, you know where they placed money
(37:09):
even when they maybe I ought not to have with
an entertainment because it gave them a run. And that's
that's that's the beauty of it, if if I enjoy
sharing that with y'all and and you sharing that with me,
because those are things that a lot of people saying,
you know, they well, they understand that maybe through a degree,
(37:34):
but but not entirely. I think a lot of people
struggle with thinking, you know, and I'm sure y'all dealt
with that too, for people like, well, you don't have
a real job. You don't have a real job, you know.
You know that, Yeah, and my job is more real
(37:55):
than you could ever imagine. Mm hmm, you know, but
they don't understand sometimes, right, And I can imagine y'all
grow in your company and all that y'all have built,
you know, right, But i'd like to tell you that
I'd like to say, I mean, I'm not trying to
reverse the interview on you, but y'all have built.
Speaker 2 (38:19):
Yeah, I mean, oh, well, thank you and you and
you're right. I mean, you hit it right on the nose.
I mean, you do get like naysayers, You do get people,
you know, that's what you know. With music and also
with what we do. I mean, you always get those
naysayers out there. But if you know that, you know
in your heart that it's something that you love and
and it's also doing good for the world, and and
(38:40):
you know you're helping people on the way, I mean,
you just gotta keep going, you know what I mean,
you gotta you gotta just feel like you know what
I'm I'm doing.
Speaker 1 (38:48):
This, y'all. Y'all got started like y'all had to. I'm
obviously y'all had to persevere through, right. Probably a lot
of people sticks at y'all.
Speaker 2 (39:02):
Absolutely, yeah, yeah, absolutely, And I think I think it's
people were kind of like, you know, why are you
doing this for independent artists? You know, and and and
and things like that. You know, they're not signing stuff,
And I'm kind of like, you don't have to be signed.
You don't have to you know, if you're if you're
making music and putting music out into the world, that's
what it's about.
Speaker 1 (39:22):
You know, in other words, you know, an artist is
an artist, and and and and and a label and
and when I say a label, I don't mean a
label like record label. But a label for them doesn't
table to the next, doesn't make any difference as to
what they're actually placing out. You know, they're still creating music,
(39:45):
and they're still exactly a creative. They're still uh making
music and making an outlet for people to go to.
Like when I'm mentioned that about Therellmand movies, you know,
these people were going and watching fights and paying like
the only little sense they had left their mind. That's
why it is the large Why in the world do
(40:08):
you think there's one hundred and ten thousand people at
a ball game? Haven't mad? Right, get your mind off
absolutely cast the music. I mean, people need an avenue
to go down, and you know, entertainment is is a
(40:29):
huge I mean you could argue, or certain people could
argue that it's not a necessity, but yeah, it's kind
of is.
Speaker 2 (40:39):
Yeah, absolutely, I don't know where we'd be without music,
if I'm completely honest with you, I mean, it's it's
you know, it's it's an outlet. That's just you know,
can make you feel all sorts. I mean, it can
make you feel you know, happy, It can give you nostalgia,
it can make you you know, it could cheer you up,
It could help you when you're feeling just you know, upset.
(41:02):
I mean, it helps you through all of the emotions.
And it could be such a healer. And and it
can bring people together, you know, from all over.
Speaker 1 (41:09):
The world as amazing absolutely and bringing people together. It's
a universe. The music is a universal object that it
it can bring unison where other things can't. You know.
It's i mean from one hundreds of years ago, you know,
(41:33):
when people were singing in the fields, you know, chopping cotton.
The uh people was with the little halfway instruments and
the heels of places that you know, they didn't have anything,
they didn't have run and water, they didn't but but
they depended on having music. And it is really uh, you,
(41:57):
I don't know where I'd be without it. I don't
know who I'd be without music form of like what
the things that I'm facing right now with my current
spouse is about Tonot agreeing with me doing a collaboration
that he didn't agree with. Okay, And I've had to
(42:18):
literally it's been hard, it's been bad, hard on me.
But I've had to say, you don't understand the depth
of what unity means and the depth of what my
music is. And I mean no warm to you. I'm
not trying to discredit you. I'm not trying to make
you sound like you don't know something. But you don't
(42:39):
know enough about me and my music. You have not
been doing this for thirty years I have, so you
know what. I know what I'm talking about, and I
know that it makes that big a difference to people,
and I mean can bring people together in ways that
nothing else can. And I believe that my heart.
Speaker 2 (43:02):
Absolutely. That's what we love about you, Ashton. That's why
that's why I actoutely ajore you, because I knew that
we would have like the same mind, I mean things,
And it's so great to talk to somebody who gets
it and uh, you know, and it's just it's just
so amazing getting to the chance to talk to you.
And I can't wait to meet you in person. I
really am so excited. So I am too, man, And
(43:23):
I appreciate all so much. I mean, man, I I'm
just so grateful. You know everything that's ever happened inside
my entire career. You know, I've been grateful for because
I know that it don't have to be a place
before me.
Speaker 1 (43:42):
I don't have to be guaranteed that that interaction or
that response or or that before am. I am always
grateful for it because it was given to me, you know,
it was given to me, and so something given to me.
And when I can see other people be excited about it,
(44:05):
it just it just it makes me so very happy,
you know, yeah, it does. And you know what I mean,
it's like it's so fulfilling, the know it is. Yeah, hey,
they get it. They get it, you know, definitely they understand.
And uh, I'm excited too. And I want to come continue,
(44:29):
of course talking with y'all. You know, I know we're
just you know, doing our interview right now, and uh,
but I do want to continue fainting in touch with
y'all and and possible looking together in other ways also
because in other things.
Speaker 2 (44:44):
Absolutely I would love that. I think it's a great
friendship and I think it really is and I think
we could do a lot, you know together, and you know,
any time that we can help you out or anything,
you know, just just you have my number, I have yours.
I mean, you're just an incredible person. I just can't
wait to see what is next for you and where
(45:04):
where this friendship could lead us, because I'm just so
excited to be able to work with you in any capacity.
I can feel.
Speaker 1 (45:11):
That there's going to be great things come from this.
I can feel it, you know, I really feel that
that there's multiple ways we can work together and advance
things and and all, you know, support one another, and
all in the name of the best way of doing it.
(45:32):
You know, it's not about you know, how many of
these people it's all about what what they can get
or what that one could get. Now, it's about it's
about helping one another and seeing the good that it's
going from both places. It's it's it brings back to
you and it's a good thing. And UH, today I
feel very very blessed to have have met y'all and
(45:55):
uh be able to have this interview and to be
able to have that opportunity coming this fall. I feel
very grateful for it, and I am grateful for it,
and I'm thankful for all time to you, Oh anytime.
Speaker 2 (46:11):
I'm grateful for your time, and I feel I feel
pleased to know you and get to you know, know
you even better. And uh, sometimes I feel like God
puts people in in your your place, in your life
for a reason, and uh, you know, I'm excited to
see what that reason is with you because you are
just an incredible, incredible person. I can't wait to see
what is next for you. And and before before we
do end this interview, I do want to make sure
(46:32):
you know, for those out there that want to see
you live, do you have any shows coming up that
you could share a show or.
Speaker 1 (46:41):
The next show I got coming up is I've been
constantly working on getting shows and whatnot. But of course
since having my baby, Samuel, I haven't announced that to
a lot of folks that that I had my little boy.
But he's going on six months old, so I've a
little bit swer with the tour and stuff right now.
(47:03):
But he's a busy. But you have been busy being
a mama, you know. But hey, that's that's real stuff.
It's real people, and you know, there's a lot of
different artists have had a lot of babies and whatnot.
But my next show that I know I've got coming
up is March sixteenth, Thin Kingentucky. It's in the I
(47:23):
bet it's I'm trying to say maybe Golly, I'll have
to look it up because it's an odd name of
the town, but it's called it's a place called the Spot.
I've played there several times throughout the years. But that'll
be marks sixteenth, and after that, I've got two or
(47:45):
three things. I got a few things pending that I'm
not sure about yet, but i know I'll be doing
some local things and more local because right now that
works better for me, and and little fellows that I'm
not going way off somewhere on the road. But so
(48:05):
I've got some things that I'm working on with that.
But the main thing that anybody wants to know what
I'm doing, they can. I haven't been is uping up
lately about keeping up my Facebook. But I know Facebook's
a little outdated to some people, but Facebook's my place.
So if anybody wants to know about me, they just
(48:27):
put in the Bible s ah E P H E
r D and you'll see the blue text mark, which
is the official hate because I have a lot of
people do that fraudulent now. So if anybody don't see
that blue check, don't worry about that. If it ain't
got the blue check, don't go there. But put the
Asking Shepherd official. They can see that. And that's where
(48:50):
I keep most everything I have updated and kept up
with at this moment in time and through my Facebook.
Speaker 2 (48:57):
Fantastic perfect Please make sure you'll follow the Facebook and
see what is next on all of the Ashton Shepherd adventures.
And congratulations on the new blessing that's so exciting, really.
Speaker 1 (49:09):
Is, oh man, I'm telling you you know, see, I
never made like an official announcement about it on Facebook
because I don't know if y'all are like me. I
don't know if y'all do this or not, but I
do it real bad. My aunt calls it being a
what you call it, a suggling perfectionist right where it
(49:30):
tends to make me put things off because I want
to do it the right way, so I can't do
it the right way. I've put it off, and I
didn't know exactly how to tell the fans, you know,
like how do I put this? What do I how
do I actually place it out in the right manner?
But I don't mind discussing it with y'all because it's
(49:53):
not something I'm ashamed of at all this baby, his
n blessing. He has faked my mother's life. I lost
my daddy last year in December, and Mama, of course,
you know, they was married for fifty something years and
so it's been very hard on her. But having this
new baby's brought a life to us that we haven't
(50:13):
had in a long long time. And he's he's really
been Samuel glenns and he is off. We named it
Nact for daddy. Daddy's name was Donald Glenn. So oh,
but he's see, he is such a it is such
a special little fellow. I mean, we all think our
(50:34):
children are special, and I understand that, but he's so
smart and the singing and he if I get that
guitar out or I play any kind of music around him,
old man. I mean he's in team. That's one thousand percent.
He is just It's like I can already see that
he's gonna he's also going to be in music too,
(50:55):
and that just makes me thrilled, you know, to know that. Yeah,
here I can watch I singing baby Mine. You know
you remember baby Mine off of Dumboats. Yeah, you know,
baby don't you cry? So I was singing at him
of the night, and he was going, m m kind.
(51:16):
He was trying his hard to try five months old
to sing, and I'm like, that's so true. This is insane,
Like babies do not do this. I'm sorry, but I'm
I gotta write this down that I'm sorry. I love
all you people's babies, but I think this is a
little bit out there. This is kind of special. You
(51:36):
know why he's trying to sing with me already, He's
trying to do you that already. I'm just saying, he's
already trying. Man, he's already trying. And so he'll he'll
be out there with me too, and and folks will
get to meet him when I get back on the road.
I carried my other children out with them. He'll be
there too, so we'll just all in it together.
Speaker 2 (52:01):
That's awesome. I can't wait. I can't wait to meet
all of you. And uh, I'm just I'm so excited
to finally get the chance to meet you. And thank
you again so much for doing this interview with me.
I really appreciate it and I can't wait to yes
whatever else we can do for you, anything, Just please
give me a call, let.
Speaker 1 (52:19):
Me know, yes, lay, I will, and I appreciate y'all
very very very much. I do. I'm I'm freeled about
being able to talk to y'all. Y'all, y'all lift my
spirits a lot. And I appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (52:32):
Oh well you you listen to mind today. Thank you
so much. I had to go to the doctors today,
so I've been a little down, but this completely.
Speaker 1 (52:39):
Perked me up.
Speaker 2 (52:39):
So thank you so much for this fun interview and everything.
Speaker 1 (52:48):
Yeah, that's good, and thank you and I appreciate y'all
very much. And uh, whenever y'all want to do something again,
y'all just let me know. And we've got each other's number.
And I won't say in touch with.
Speaker 2 (53:01):
Okay, perfect, yes us too, us too. I'm I'm will
definitely definitely keep in touch because I'd love to help
you out anywhere that we can, anywhere or any way
that we can. You know, it's that would be just amazing.
Speaker 1 (53:16):
I'd love it. Well, I thank y'all. I do. I
surely thank y'all, and I appreciate you very much.
Speaker 2 (53:22):
Well, we appreciate you and we just adore you. Thank
you so much. Asking Shepherd, everybody