Every year there’s always the common artist coming off of some reality singing show still fighting to make their stamp in any genre of music — whether they hail from NBC’s The Voice, ABC’s American Idol, among a variety of many similar shows — but with this one, Ashland Craft, this is not your stereotypical Country blonde trying to be the next Miranda Lambert. No, this girl is unique all her own, especially when it comes to her rocking Country pipes and direct songwriting. Ashland Craft first found fame on Season 13 of NBC’s The Voice as one of the Top 10 finalists, and since, has been on a fast, colorful success track to Country Music stardom.
Ashland is one of my personal faves right now as far as female artists go in Country Music. Let’s get to her debut that’s making so many people talk amongst Nashville: Travelin’ Kind. It released last year when the nation was still in the wake of an ongoing pandemic, and amongst many music critics, Apple Music calls her effort “…the work of a free rambling spirit, one who, freewheeling nature by demand, has serious staying power…”. Ashland signed with major label Big Loud Records (Hardy, Lauren Alaina, Morgan Wallen). Craft penned 9 out of the 11 tracks for Travelin’ Kind, as her record is a great representation not only her heart and soul, but a voice for other spit-fire girls in Country Music to know they to can have their say.
Travelin’ Kind is an excellent representation of her heart and soul, and is a “culmination of all life’s experiences and adventures”, so Ashland is indeed the newest “spitfire” in Country. There are no love songs on this record, only about drinking, leaving, and of course, trucks. One of my personal faves is “That’s The Kinda Place”, a song that talks humbly about where Ashland came from is just as significant as places she’s traveled and will always be home. “Never think you’ll miss the slow down of it / Learnin’ lessons from the hard times of it until you get a few miles between the grown-up you / And all the used-to-be’s”.
To add, this album was Ashland Craft’s first-ever as an official songwriter, officially relocating to Nashville as a full time songwriting in 2019. She co wrote alongside other known songwriters in Music City, such as Jessie Jo Dillon and Erik Dylan, in a list of many. In an interview article with Taste of Country, Ashland says of the LP, “..,That was kind of the shifting point where I knew I had stuff to say…I didn’t quite know how to say it and how to piece it together at the time. I’d written when I was younger, but, of course, they were just mediocre songs, so I didn’t know if there was any hope for me until I moved here”.
All in all, Ashland Craft is here to stay and with promising songs like “Trainwreck” or “Your Momma Still Does” this girl is on the upswing for a bright career ahead! Looking for something Country for the holidays? Then this record is the perfect stocking stuffer. Buy or download Travelin’ Kind wherever music is streamed or sold today.
The Neiman Cruse Report 
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