Aboriginal Music Program

Manitoba’s Ashley Lauren Robertson is a young newcomer to the country music scene. Born March 3rd, 1984 in Winnipeg, she showed remarkable musical promise at a tender age. She started piano lessons at age six and later took up guitar, Dobro guitar, banjo and mandolin guitar. Her interest in country music came naturally from her parents’ recordings of Patsy Cline, Marty Robbins, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Johnny Horton and many others. Her modern day influences include Alison Krauss, the Dixie Chicks, Brad Paisley, and Shania Twain.

From 1993-1997 Ashley auditioned and landed the role of a TV news reporter for Craig Broadcasting Ltd.’s popular MTN Kids Pulse News on the Manitoba Television Network, a valuable learning experience in media training, interview skills and composure. In 2000, Ashley joined the Manitoba Country Music Association and became a frequent performer at the MCMA’s songwriter’s nights. In the MCMA, she found encouragement to venture south to Nashville, where she has performed at the Boardwalk Café, the Broke Spoke, the Gibson Bluegrass Showcase, and the Bluebird Café.

At age 17, Ashley began to further her development as an artist under the tutelage of Allen Frizzell of the legendary Frizzell family. “Ashley is one of the most talented female singer-songwriters I’ve had the pleasure to work with,” says Allen. Working alongside Allen and his wife Gayle of Frizzell House M-U-S-I-C, Ashley continuously works on her songwriting and records demos whenever she can. ‘I really enjoy working with Allen and Gayle, we have such a great personal and musical connection and they have a lot of knowledge about the music industry, I like to just listen and learn,” says Ashley.

Ashley’s album, produced by Allen Frizzell, was recorded and mastered at Hilltop Studios in Madison, a suburb of Nashville, using the best of the best session musicians with the head engineer being former MCA staff engineer Ron Treat. The material of the album is oriented towards a fusion of bluegrass music, traditional country styles, and contemporary sophistication. The song choices are meant to be fun and upbeat with Ashley providing three of her own compositions to lend an introspective, thoughtful touch.

The album, released May 2003, is supported by her music video for the track, “Living in Misery” which can be seen on most CD-ROM drives with the enhanced CD. Ashley embarked on her first radio tour summer 2003, garnering support from Canadian country radio, with the album already having success on country radio in Europe, the U.K., New Zealand, and Australia.

Ashley is currently attending prestigious Belmont University in Nashville, TN. She is majoring in Music Business with a minor in classical piano.

CONTACT:	Ashley Robertson
ADDRESS:	PO Box 45003 RPO REGENT Winnipeg, MB, R2C5C7
PHONE:	work204-669-0707
FAX:	fax204-669-0707
EMAIL:	AshleyLRobertson@hot...

Ashley Robertson website