Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashton.
Hi Ashton, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Ive been intrigued by music my entire life, but It wasn’t until I was 18 that I started playing guitar. I had been gifted a guitar from my uncle as a graduation gift and when the pandemic hit in 2020 I picked it up pretty seriously. I played all day everyday in my garage for about 6 months, before deciding to move to Lubbock to attend the music program at South Plains College. I credit Lubbock for giving me wings. There was a lot of talent and opportunity floating around that area and I took advantage of it to the best of my ability. I also met some of the most genuine and helpful people at The Blue Light Live and HF&C Feeds, where I worked for the entirety of my time in Lubbock. Fast forward to 2023, I had made the decision to move back home to central Texas to finish school at Texas State and try to find my market in the music scene in San Marcos. I immediately took to the songwriter scene at Cheatham Street Warehouse, where I’ve met some of my best friends and the most talented songwriters. I started a band, began writing with my friends and staying busier with shows than I’d ever been before. Since then I’ve met a lot more great folks along the way and have progressively gotten busier with shows, especially in the last year or so. I plan on graduating from Texas State with my Bachelors in Integrated Studies in the spring of 2026 and releasing a full length album in the fall of 2025.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road is usually not smooth. The thought of pursuing music as a career is pretty scary in itself. I think most of the struggles boil down to relationships and insecurities, which are not easy to deal with, especially as a hyper focused artist. However, I do believe the road can be made smoother just from accepting yourself for who you are. I decided I wanted to be a musician for the rest of my life earlier this year and that’s eliminated a lot of negative variables that used to run the show. Leaning on my ability and confidence has always been a struggle of mine, however I think practice and consistency has made the road smoother for me in the end.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a singer/songwriter and guitar player. I started singing, writing and playing guitar at the age of 18 and I’ve come a long way since then. I’m very proud of where I’m at right now in my career. I’ve had a lot of people tell me I have a very powerful voice and they enjoy my songs. I’ve never been quite satisfied with either, but I think that’s just the nature of being an artist.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
There’s been a lot of people that have helped along the way. My good friends and fellow songwriters here in San Marcos are a few that constantly inspire me to always do better. Here in the last year or so I’d say I owe a lot to my friend and mentor Nyles Robakiewicz. He’s an incredible songwriter with years of experience in the industry and all of us in the scene down here really look up to him.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: Ashtonaylor
