Raised on a farm in Lawrence, Kansas, Ashley Ray has established herself as one of Nashville's most nuanced voices, chasing down critical acclaim not only as a solo artist, but also as an in-demand songwriter for Little Big Town, Lori McKenna, Lady A's Charles Kelley, and others. Her unique approach to melody and storytelling has resulted in partnerships with publishing companies like SonyATV Tree and BMG Nashville. Meanwhile, her albums have earned her shows with Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, and other country trailblazers who, like Ashley, create a modern sound without chasing after modern trends. Ashley Ray shines a light on her midwestern roots with her third album Pauline, whose autobiographical songs tell true stories of love, loss, and life in Middle America. The album finds her teaming up once again with songwriter/producer Sean McConnell, with whom she co-wrote Little Big Town's GRAMMY-nominated Top 40 hit, "The Daughters." CONNECT FURTHER:https://www.ashleyray.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/ashleyraymusic Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1QAhUwf00n5kEnLN7cADG8NEW album Follow Your Heart: https://orcd.co/followyourheart Keep in touch with Michael online: https://michaelfranti.com The Stay Human podcast is available wherever you listen to podcasts: https://stayhumanpodcast.com PODCAST EPISODE CREDITS:Executive Producers: Michael Franti and Activist Artists Management Producer: Angie Griffith for BPOSITIIVArtist Manager: Caitlin Stone for Activist Artists ManagementManagement Coordinator: Bryce Matthews for Activist Artists ManagementSocial Media Manager: Kaitlyn Parmenter for Alchemy Artist ServicesPresenting Sponsor: Pact (https://www.wearpact.com)Instrumental from: “Crazy For You” by Michael Franti Editing by: Roger Gowdy for Page Turners Studio