BIO:
Named one of Rolling Stone’s “New Country Artist You Need to Know”, female Country music singer/songwriter Tommy Ash has been putting the western in Country & Western since she started playing in Arizona honky-tonks at just 13 years old.
Born and raised in Phoenix, AZ and currently living in Nashville, TN, Tommy Ash's music has been described by the Phoenix New Times as “hard edged honky-tonk”. Being heavily influenced by West Coast country music and the Bakersfield sound, Ash opened for the legendary Merle Haggard in 2015, and played shows on the road with the honky-tonk man Dwight Yoakam in 2018. She also shared the stage with Tanya Tucker, John Conlee, Chris Young, Lorrie Morgan, Turnpike Troubadours, Pam Tillis, Tracy Lawrence, Ryan Bingham, Alabama and many more.
In September 2013, Tommy Ash released her first album Sinner’s Blood (available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, Pandora, etc). “It’s a quick jab of a record, stacking slapback rockabilly riffs over propulsive shuffles. The title track isn’t far removed from the cowpunk of the Blasters or X; “Sugar in a Bottle” evokes a Sun Records stomp; “When I’m Gone” is a sweet sashay featuring revved up vocals from Ash. “Friend” is a brassy ballad, with Ash employing an ace falsetto over languid pedal steel swells and “Yodelin’ Blues” evokes an imagined spaghetti western directed by David Lynch. Ash yodels, and it’s chilling” writes music journalist Jason P. Woodbury.
In their Spring 2016 Print edition, the Roots Music publication No Depression mentioned that "even as the pop- and alt-country worlds continue to drift apart, artists like Tommy Ash continue to buck the trends. […] They're a new wave of women in outlaw country not seen since the likes of Jesse Colter and Loretta Lynn".
According to Wide Open Country, Tommy Ash's music sounds like "Dwight Yoakam dueting with Wanda Jackson in a Bakersfield Bar" and included her in their "10 new Country Artists to Watch in 2018".
Tommy Ash has been nominated for several Ameripolitan Awards in 2018 and 2019, and she’s currently working on a new album set to be released in 2020.
For more information, visit www.tommyash.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/mstommyash; Facebook: www.facebook.com/tommyashmusic; YouTube: www.youtube.com/tommyashmusic
PRESS REVIEWS:
- Tommy Ash - One of "10 New Country Artists You Need to Know" - Rolling Stone - 12/2017
- "Country shuffles, train beats and honky-tonk heartbreak, all delivered by a magnetic entertainer who's been serenading barflies since the age of 13. For Fans of Dwight Yoakam's influence, Waylon Jennings' guitar tone, Margo Price's perspective" - Rolling Stone - 12/2017
- Tommy Ash - One of "10 New Country Artists to Watch in 2018" - Wide Open Country - 12/2017
- "Phoenix, Ariz. native Tommy Ash has been putting the western in country western since she started playing in Arizona honky-tonks at just 13 years old. Her 2013 debut album Sinner’s Blood mixes the Telecaster-driven Bakersfield Sound of Buck and Merle with a cowpunk yodel that’s made her a staple at Nashville’s American Legion Post 82. Ash is nominated in the Honky Tonk Female category for the 2018 Ameripolitan Awards. She’s currently working on her sophomore album, which is set to be released in 2018. Sounds like Dwight Yoakam dueting with Wanda Jackson in a Bakersfield bar" - Wide Open Country - 12/2017
- “What follows is a complete contrast and not exactly what I expected when I read the name Tommy Ash on the schedule. Expecting a male artist, I was surprised that Tommy Ash is in fact a female country singer songwriter from Phoenix Arizona but currently living in East Nashville. She is straight honky tonk country with a classic country vocal, dress sense to match, a delightful southern drawl and with an absolutely killer band. It transpires she has also opened for Merle Haggard, Dale Watson and Ryan Bingham. With obvious influences from Merle, Dwight, Wanda and Patsy her set is no nonsense, straight down the middle country and lots of fun” – LonesomeHighway.com – 10/2016
- “What if there was a band that embraced classic country sounds without sounding retro? You know, contemporary country, but with solid roots. Tommy Ash is one such group” – Phoenix New Times - 2012
- “Led by the dynamic Tommy Ash (that’s Miss Tommy Ash to you), the band leans just as hard on its Sonoran roots as the twangy sounds of Bakersfield and classic Nashville country. Ash’s vocals echo the slapback rockabilly of singers like Wanda Jackson and the rootsy grit of Patsy Cline, and her band of gunslingers rock as hard as they swing. Hailed as a potential breakout star by outlets like We Hate Pop Country, the Tommy Ash Band’s approach is well represented by the group’s album, Sinner’s Blood, and live performances have turned clubs like Last Exit Live and Crescent Ballroom into genuine honky-tonks for an evening” - Phoenix New Times - 09/2015
- “With old country mega hits made new and original songs sounding retro cool, Tommy Ash had the audience rockin’ in their seats!” - Examiner.com - 08/2015
- “The opening Tommy Ash Band, from Phoenix, paired well with Yoakam, playing a tight and grooving honky-tonk. Singer Tommy Ash (Tommy in this case is a she) has a big, bold voice that’s just as adept for torch songs as the band’s rockin’ version of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues.” - Tucson Weekly - 02/2013
- “Tommy Ash draws on enough modern sass and classic freight train beats to appeal to fans of both Traditional and New Country” – Phoenix New Times – 2012
- "Even as the pop- and alt-country worlds continue to drift apart, artists like Tommy Ash continue to buck the trends. The singer is in good company among Margo Price, Nikki Lane, etc. They're a new wave of women in outlaw country not seen since the likes of Jesse Colter and Loretta Lynn" - No Depression, Spring 2016
- “The hard-edged honky tonk of the Tommy Ash’s latest, Sinner’s Blood, bares witness to Ash’s musical roots. It’s a quick jab of a record, stacking slapback rockabilly riffs over propulsive shuffles. The title track isn’t far removed from the cowpunk of the Blasters or X; “Sugar in a Bottle” evokes a Sun Records stomp; “When I’m On Gone” is a sweet sashay featuring revved up vocals from Ash. […] ”Friend” is a brassy ballad, with Ash employing an ace falsetto over languid pedal steel swells and “Yodelin’ Blues” evokes an imagined spaghetti western directed by David Lynch. Ash yodels, and it’s chilling.” – Jason P. Woodbury, Phoenix New Times – 11/2014
- “Best Local Country Band 2015″ - Phoenix New Times - 09/2015
- “Tommy Ash kicked off the night with a fantastic performance! Dwight Yoakam and his band put on a stellar performance. The level of excitement between the audience, Tommy Ash & Dwight Yoakam were in sync which led to an enjoyable night for all in attendance from start to finish” – krde.com (94.1FM in Phoenix) – 11/2014
- “Tommy Ash is Awesome!” - Examiner.com - 08/2015
- “Yoakam took the stage for the first time around 8:30 p.m., following the opening act, Tommy Ash, a strong lead singer who had a June Carter quality” –ExplorerNews.com – 02/2013
- “Tommy Ash Live Concert Review: 5 Stars” – Examiner.com – 08/2015
- Video Review: “This compelling ballad (“Yodelin’ Blues”) has that mournful Chris Isaak vibe to it that I’m wicked game for, as it’s more country than most country you’ll hear on heavy rotation now. This cut hails from Tommy Ash’s late 2013 release, “Sinner’s Blood,” and I’m glad to see they’re still working a fine long-player and more people are taking notice.” – AZcentral.com – 09/2014
- “Throughout the years, Ash has transitioned into a young woman of true integrity, and has since proven in a mostly male dominated genre that women can be just as tough as any whiskey shooting roughneck out there. Breaking stereotypes, and kicking down walls.” – Wehatepopcountry.com – April 2015
- “This singer, songwriter, and Arizona native is a genuine goddess of the honky tonk gospel, and is making waves throughout the Americana roots music movement” – Wehatepopcountry.com– April 2015