Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Davis.
Hi Ashley, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in Lawrence, Kansas, to parents who were both part of the Kanas University system. I grew up singing bluegrass, country, and American folk music, and those early influences shaped the storyteller I’ve become today. As a young musician, I knew I wanted to pursue music professionally, so I moved to Nashville to attend Belmont University. While there, I studied literature and Latin alongside music, an education that gave me a deep appreciation for storytelling, poetry, mythology, and language, all of which continue to influence my songwriting today. It is, ironically, during my time in Nashville that I started to focus on the Celtic music tradition. I would later blend all of the above together, but at this point, I took a deep dive into the world of the Celts, using the literature that I was studying at the time as a deep backbone to my new writings.
My love of Celtic music eventually led me across the Atlantic to Ireland, where I earned my Master’s degree in Traditional Irish Music Performance at the University of Limerick. During my time there, I was honored to be hired by Lord of the Dance, as their featured vocalist. Living and studying in Ireland allowed me to learn directly from some of the country’s finest traditional musicians and forever changed the direction of my career.
Following my time with Lord of the Dance, I moved to New York City, where I recorded my first solo album in 2004, launching what has now become a catalog of ten solo albums that blend Celtic, Folk, Americana, and of course my original songwriting. New York remains an important creative home for me, and I’m proud to have a publishing deal there, where I continue to spend much of my time writing and developing new projects, while Kansas is now my home base (again). Over the years, I’ve toured extensively throughout North America and Europe, played festivals in China and have shared the stage with extraordinary musicians while building an international audience.
Beyond performing, I’m passionate about the intersection of disciplines. I regularly lecture at universities on the role of literature in music and the arts, exploring how ideas from history, poetry, mythology, and storytelling can enrich the creative process. I believe the most meaningful art is born through cross-pollination; when different traditions, cultures, and artistic forms are allowed to inform one another.
Today, I’m grateful to balance two deeply meaningful callings. As a touring recording artist, I continue to perform concerts, write songs, and release new music, including my recent double album, “Songs I Was Raised On”, a collection honoring the folk music that first inspired me. Alongside my music, I’m also a Reiki Master and operate a small energy healing practice in Kansas. My album “Mantra” grew directly out of that work, blending music and meditation into a project designed to support healing, reflection, and inner peace.
While music and energy healing may seem like different paths, they’ve always been connected for me. Both are about creating space for people to feel seen, restored, and connected, whether through a song, a lecture, or a healing session. I’m currently writing project #11 to hopefully come out in late 2027. I’ll be returning to Ireland for this one!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think the struggle for most artists is keeping a good attitude and learning to pivot when rejection happens. If you are an artist who is not comfortable with rejection, then this business will never work for you. You have to always take it as a signal that this was not your path, and you need to either find another path in…or a different path all together. Creating a sound that is truly mine has really helped me stay “alive” within this industry. Everyone has something unique to say, I believe, so don’t follow others. I always say to younger artists that I am lecturing to, or working with: Keep your blinders on…only look forward to your path.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
At my core, I’m a storyteller/songwriter. Whether I’m writing songs, performing concerts, teaching at a university, or working with clients through energy healing, I’m always exploring the ways art can help us understand ourselves and one another.
Musically, I’m best known for blending Celtic, Folk, Americana, and Roots traditions into a sound that’s both timeless and deeply personal. I’ve spent much of my career preserving and reimagining traditional music while also creating original work that honors the past without being confined by it. That is really important to me as a kid who grew up on the prairie with a no fence mentality, and have applied this to my music. My concerts are as much about connection as they are performance, and I strive to create experiences where audiences feel like they’re part of the story.
Beyond performing, I lecture on the relationship between literature, mythology, music, and creativity, encouraging artists to draw inspiration across disciplines. I believe the richest creative work comes from curiosity and the willingness to let different ideas and traditions inform one another. This allows a lot for collaboration, which is one of my favorite aspects of what I do.
When I’m not touring, I work as a Reiki Master and energy healer. Rather than seeing music and healing as separate careers, I view them as different expressions of the same purpose: helping people reconnect with themselves, find peace, and experience transformation.
What I’m most proud of isn’t simply recording ten albums or performing around the world, it’s having built a career that’s entirely authentic to who I am. I’ve never felt the need to fit neatly into one category. My work exists at the intersection of music, education, literature, and healing, and I think that’s what sets me apart. Every project I take on, whether it’s an album like “Mantra” (an album entirely in Sanskrit, or performing a song in Irish at a concert, or a university lecture, is rooted in the belief that art has the power to heal, connect, and inspire.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Despite all of the journeys I’ve had and places I’ve lived, I still consider myself “a kid from the prairie.”
Thanks!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ashleydavisband.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daisyringsmusic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daisyringsmusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AshleyDavisWorld
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3pjp1XpryjOi0475a97tdG
