Griffin Country Singer Gains Statewide Fan Base

June 27th, 2011

By; Sheila Marshall

For 19-year-old aspiring country singer Lauren-Ashley, music has always been a part of her life.

“I’ve been singing literally since I could talk”, she said. “My parents couldn’t believe it when I would sing songs in my car seat. They were surprised I know all the words to the songs on the radio.”

From the songs of her Childhood, Lauren-Ashley moved on to performing in church and school talent shows, eventually placing second in state competition in her senior year of high school.

After graduation, she went on to college at Georgia Southern University where her love of music led her to win “GSU Idol”, a homecoming-week competition based on the popular “American Idol”.

With the unending support and encouragement of her family, Lauren-Ashley then began to reassess her future.

“My family has been extremely supportive through the entire thing. They have been nothing but wonderful and it’s awesome,” she said. “I am so thankful to have a family to push me if I ever want to give up.”

Soon afterward, Lauren-Ashley took a leap of faith as she chose to dedicate her time and effort toward a recording career. “I began working with Trey Roth, of Black Cat Studios, in Griffin—my hometown—and we decided to record a CD,” Lauren-Ashley said.

The self-titled recording is filled with personal meaning for Lauren-Ashley, as she not only sings, but also writes her own songs. “They are all originals, I have my stamp all over them,” she said.

Since its release, Lauren-Ashley’s CD has proven to be a popular local favorite, with brisk sales at local stores, as well as on CDBaby.com and iTunes. Her debut recording can still be found locally and on laurenashleymusic.com.

“It’s been really awesome. We’ve had really great reviews on it,” she said.

Far beyond being only a local favorite performer, Lauren-Ashley has gained quite a following statewidep; proven by her current status as a semi-finalist in the Georgia Country Female Artist of the Year competition. “They hold a competition every year at Georgia-Country.com and I’ve been nominated for that award,” she said. “I recently found out I’m a semi-finalist, and that’s very exiting,”

This recognition is made even sweeter by the fact that the results are all fan-based, with votes being casted online.

Even as she relishes the commercial success she is experiencing, it is when she performs that she finds the greatest joy, and that is exactly what she intends to pursue when she takes yet another huge step in the hope of furthering her music career by moving to Nashville later this summer. There she intends to finish college and also, “ try out this music thing.”

“Everybody says they want to make it to the top and be famous. Ultimately, that is a goal of mine, but initially, I would love to sign a recording deal and be a touring artist,” she said. “I know it takes time and you have to start slowly. It’s definitely very hard work, but it’s worth it. Whether it’s five or ten years from now, that’s my goal—going all the way. I don’t think I would ever be completely happy doing anything else but performing. It’s so cool to be there, in that moment, and see people, total strangers, singing my songs—songs I wrote. It’s just an incredible feeling.”