Ashley Feller is a third generation Florida native from Panama City who began playing music at an early age with her father in various establishments throughout the Florida panhandle. She released her first full length album in October of 2017, Old Blue: Rage Against the Van. In addition to being a songwriter, Ashley is a multi-instrumentalist who plays various woodwinds, the accordion, and the guitar.
The Crafty Musician Blog is proud to feature Ashley Feller in this month’s edition of Artist Spotlight…
So first of all, it’s an honor to have you as a guest on our blog. How long have you been performing and how long did it take you to become a full-time artist?
I have been performing for twenty years. I started as a teenager performing with my father. Through my twenties I played frequently with a few different bands then eventually pursued a career as a solo act soon after making original music a priority.
Wow, 20 years! That’s amazing! How long would you say you’ve been a full-time artist?
I have been full time for around six or seven years. In past years I was forced to work a schedule where music could only be part time. Once I made the choice to make music and songwriting the priority I eventually was able to get away from working for others.
Your music is a form of Americana, which is like a blend of Folk, Blues, and Country. When so many artists your age are into pop and indie rock, how did you get into this kind of music?
Growing up going to Bluegrass festivals definitely inspired my journey as a musician. Bluegrass is probably the most fun music to play because it is rooted in tradition but evolves by improvisation. I always seem to place a lot of my time focusing on music that tells a story. Music that is written by regular people. I wanted to create a kind of music that will still resonate after I’m no longer living.
Speaking of music being fun to play, I noticed that you infuse a lot of humor into your music. Why do you think that is?
Because laughter is good for folks, and we should all laugh more often. Humor has been especially valued since Hurricane Michael. Living in a legitimate disaster area has left many of the locals with chronic depression. If I play songs that help people smile that also helps combat my own sadness regarding the disaster.
Yeah, humor can definitely be therapeutic. It also seems like you being from NW Florida has had a big impact on who you are and also the songs you write. Can you elaborate on that?
NW Florida is a quirky place, and I think my songs might reflect some of that quirkiness. Some of my songs mention iconic places like “The Red Bar” in Grayton Beach, and the historic neighborhood in my hometown Panama City known as St. Andrew.
So let’s talk about this past year, because I understand it’s been a pretty crazy rollercoaster for you. In October of 2018, Hurricane Michael, which was a category 5 and one of the most intense storms ever recorded to hit the US, slams into the Florida Panhandle and practically leaves your community in ruins. Help us understand exactly how this affected you and your community…
Life was a struggle directly after the storm. No one had electricity or running water for over 13 days. The first few days were absolutely wild. Many of the stores and businesses were looted, and people suddenly found themselves homeless because their homes were left uninhabitable from the wind literally blowing roofs off houses. Not only were we without power and water but there was hardly any cell phone reception. Nearly no one could reach the outside world to communicate with their families. I remember not having cell phone coverage two weeks after the storm. Our only link to the rest of the world was FM radio which came on board a day or so after the hurricane. The radio became vital, it was the way we found out where to find water, groceries, seek medical attention. I was so grateful those folks were there to keep us informed. Over the last several months The Red Cross, FEMA, and many organizations have come to help the community and I am grateful for everything they have done.
As a musician I lost all of my gigs for the months of October and November and barely played in December. The businesses were gone. Completely ruined. Places I had been playing at on a regular basis for years. Blown away. I went through a period of depression and for quite a while did not feel inspired to play music much at all.
I bet that was really difficult. What did you ultimately do to make up for the lack of opportunities after so many that you depended on to earn a living had been taken away?
There were quite a few community benefits around town once things somewhat stabilized, utilities were restored and the roads were cleared. Gradually a few of the places I frequently play at reopened. This wasn’t enough to earn a living. So I started playing in venues outside of Panama City which had not been damaged. Many times I played 4 hours away in Mobile Al. After the new year I played gigs with friends up in Atlanta. I also had the honor of playing the 67th annual Florida Folk Festival in White Springs Fl and spent a week playing down in Tampa/St. Pete area.
In October of 2018, Hurricane Micheal wiped out thousands of homes across its path: Michael smashed buildings to splinters, tore off roofs and sent trees careening through walls. At least 74 deaths were attributed to the storm, including 59 in the United States and 15 in Central America. Hurricane Michael caused an estimated $25.1 billion (2018 USD) in damages.
It sounds like the lack of shows in your area forced you to venture out into new cities. Has that ultimately expanded your show opportunities?
Yes, Hurricane Michael caused severe damage to many of the places I perform. They were either gone forever, or closed for months and months. I couldn’t wait around for these venues to return or for new venues to establish themselves. I had to reach out to venues that were hundreds of miles from my home to make my living. Since having played in these far away venues I now have the confidence and the relationships needed to continue performing in areas I was once apprehensive about reaching out to.
And now, a year later, how are things going for you?
Things are getting better. More businesses are opening and Panama City is rebuilding. There are still houses with blue tarps on them battling with insurance companies. Lots of my friends have left because they simply cannot find a home here. The cost of rent has dramatically increased because there is only so much housing available. I am not working as much locally as I was a year ago, but more than I was through the winter.
At this point, does all of your monthly income come from performing or are there other things you do to earn money as well?
All of my income comes from performing live. I occasionally make some income from folks buying my cds at my performances.
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Do you find that living through this crisis has impacted your art in any way?
Its hard to write songs when you’re rolling logs. So much time directly after the storm was spent clearing the yard of debris. This storm has left everyone of us exhausted. So I would say that because of exhaustion I have not written as much as I prefer to.
Yeah, that’s understandable. Hopefully you’re able to start writing again soon. With that said, where do you see your music career going at this point?
I am trying to transition to playing mostly house concerts, festivals, and listening rooms that place high value on original music. I am also planning on recording another album in the next year.
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Nice! Well good luck with those endeavors. So do you have any advice for other artists, especially when unexpected crises arise?
Just keep moving. Don’t lose hope. If you survived a natural disaster you can survive just about anything. Try to find at least a few minutes of the day to write even if you never use the content.
That’s good advice. So where can our readers find your music on the internet?
Readers can find my music at AshleyFellerMusic.com, on Facebook, and Instagram. My album “Old Blue, Rage Against the Van” is also available on Itunes, CDBaby, Noise Trade, Target, Google Play, and Spotify.
Great! Well thank you so much Ashley for your time and again we wish you the best as you continue your music career.
Thank you!
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