Gearing actually made her debut on the charts when she was twelve years old---back in 2004. “I guess I keep redeveloping myself,” the personable brunette says. “I came on the scene when I was twelve years old, and released a single with Lyric Street called ‘Can You Hear Me.’ We had some success with that, but then I wanted to go back to Massachusetts and be a normal thirteen year old. I’m so thankful that I did that now, looking back. I’m nineteen now, but in between I just did music on the side. I commuted back and forth to Nashville, and got offered a record deal with Curb Records when I was sixteen. I told them I didn’t want to pass up the opportunity, but I felt it was important that I finish High School, and then I would move down to Nashville.”
It’s a decision that many others might not have made, but Gearing said it was the best for her---personally and professionally.”There’s no getting back your childhood. That’s the way I’ve always looked at it,” she says. “The music industry can be really crazy at times, and if you don’t have your feet on the ground in the first place, it’s very easy to tumble over off the beaten path. There were times that I would get frustrated, because as a Country Music artist, you need to be present in Nashville. You need to be able to travel, and I couldn’t do either because I was in high school. I wanted to do both so bad at the time, so I had to realize that after I graduated, I had the rest of my life to become this artist. I’m so thankful. It’s really inspired me both as a songwriter and an artist, and who I am as a person. I’m only nineteen, so I’m still finding my way. But, it’s a lot easier now because I was able to have a completely normal experience growing up.”
Now, with her teenage years just about a memory, she’s ready to give the business her best shot. “It’s been a long journey, and now here I am. I just released a new single, and am writing and recording with Byron Gallimore in the studio. It’s a dream come true. I feel so very lucky.”
Gearing says that working with Gallimore---the man behind the board on albums by Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, and Lee Ann Womack---is something she has dreamed of for a long time.
“He is the sweetest guy I have ever known,” she says of Gallimore. “He’s so tender hearted, and so extremely talented. I’m so thankful to be working with someone like that. I grew up listening to all the CD’s he produced. I always thought it would be amazing to work with him, and here I am. I love going into the studio with him, because it’s always an experiment. We’re always trying to see what’s going to work. He has such a knack for hearing what’s going to sound good. He has the best instruments, best musicians, and it all comes together when we’re tracking. It’s just magical, it really is.”
With the single out and beginning to climb the charts, she says “I am so excited. I’ve learned to take things day by day, and not get too ahead of myself, but it’s a really special song for me. I wrote it when I was sixteen. Curb would send songwriters up to Massachusetts to write with me, since I really couldn’t travel much. It was always my mom’s favorite, and we just kind of put it in our back pocket. I didn’t play it live at shows. It was a song that we loved a lot, and a couple of months ago, Curb rediscovered it, and said ‘This is going to be a big song for you, and the world needs to hear it, so it’s the single.’
Over the past few months, Ashley has been out on the road visiting programmers at stations across the United States. She says while that’s a part of the job, it’s also something that she loves very much. “It’s very difficult trying to get people to see the real artist behind the music and everything. I think the great part about me is that I wear my heart on my sleeve, but in a good way. I enjoy meeting people and showing them who I am through my music, and my personality. I’m just having a great time going out on the radio tour, and meeting them personally. I’m looking forward to getting out and doing shows. I love being able to feed off the audience, and be in the moment on stage. It’s a rush.”
Look for an album from Gearing later in 2011. “I’m writing a lot for the album, but we’ve also got some stuff from some of the top writers in Nashville. There are so many great writers here and I want to utilize their talents and collaborate with them. It’s going to be young sounding, but with a nostalgic feel to it too. I want it to be relatable to people of any age. It’s going to describe me as a person and tell my story. I want to make sure it’s absolutely perfect. I want to give the fans something they will enjoy. I think there will be something for every mood, and for everybody. That’s the goal.”
For more on Ashley Gearing, check out www.AshleyGearing.com!
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