Watch Ashley McBryde’s Teary Opry Performance of ‘Girl Goin’ Nowhere’

Ashley McBryde is unwavering in who she is, as an artist and a person. Eschewing the typical look of a female country artist, McBryde stayed true to herself even in her recent appearance at the Grand Ole Opry, wearing a short-sleeve T-shirt, jeans and a vest, with her numerous tattoos displayed prominently on both arms, while performing the title track of her upcoming freshman album, Girl Goin’ Nowhere.

“I’ve been in T-shirts and jeans since I was a kid,” McBryde tells Nashville’s Tennessean. “It worked then; it works now. I don’t have to show you a bunch of my skin for you to listen to my songs. You’ll listen, or you won’t.”

The Arkansas native, considered by some to be the female version of Eric Church, sang the poignant song, backed only by her guitar. With lines like “But when the lights come up /And I hear the band / And where they said I’d never be is exactly where I am / I hear the crowd / I look around / And I can’t find an empty chair / Not bad for a girl goin’ nowhere,” it didn’t take long for the audience to be captivated by the rising star.

But even McBryde, who might seem to be a a little tough, perhaps even slightly jaded, got emotional as she sang, “But when the lights come up / And I hear the band / And I step into this circle / With a Gibson in my hand,” while standing inside the famous Opry circle.

It was indeed a full circle moment for the singer, whose early dreams of a career in country music seemed destined to fail before they began. After telling an algebra teacher in high school of her career aspirations, McBryde learned a painful, early lesson about the stamina and fortitude required to achieve her dreams.

“[The teacher] looked at me in front of the whole class and said, ‘That’s stupid. That won’t happen, and you better have a really good backup plan,’ ” McBryde recalls. “I carried that for a lot of years.”

Now, with Girl Goin’ Nowhere slated for a March 30 release, and an upcoming run with Luke Combs, as the opening act on his Don’t Tempt Me With a Good Time Tour, it’s safe to say McBryde has proved her algebra teacher wrong.

“I feel like I should thank her,” says McBryde. “Because nothing lights a fire under you like somebody saying, ‘You’re not going to be able to do it.’”

Pre-order Girl Goin’ Nowhere on Amazon and iTunes. Find a list of all of McBryde’s upcoming shows on her website.

Photo Credit: YouTube