Lead vocalist for A Ray, Ashley Ray, was raised outside Lawrence, Kan., where music was always playing on the farm she grew up on. Even though no one in her family played any instruments, music meant the world to her.

“My parents have always been the biggest music fans,” Ray said. “Music was always playing in our house. Literally, and I do mean literally, 24 hours a day. … I don’t think I could have escaped it if I wanted to.”

Ray’s mother works as a UPS driver, and her father, who passed away in the fall of 2006 according to her biography on her Myspace page, worked as a construction worker. Her parents instilled in her a “strong Heartland work ethic” and gave her such musical influences as Bob Seger, Fleetwood Mac, Keith Whitley, James Taylor and Reba McEntire. 

However, according to her biography, it was a Patty Loveless album, “When Fallen Angels Fly,” that inspired Ray to want to be a country music singer. According to her MySpace page, she began writing songs by the age of 10 and learned to play the guitar when her elementary school sent home a notice advertising guitar lessons.

For a while, Ray was so shy that she would only sing while facing the wall. However, she was determined to overcome this fear and worked to do so by playing in talent shows, singing in choir and by sitting in “with bands made up of men twice her age,” according to her MySpace page.  

After high school, Ray ventured out and started a life of her own. Immediately after high school graduation, she left everything behind and moved to Nashville, enrolling in Belmont University and intending to earn a business degree to help ease the transition. However, according to her MySpace page, she never intended to use it as a backup. She was only enrolled to meet people. 

Since then, she’s shared the stage with numerous country superstars, including Dierks Bentley and Miranda Lambert, as word of her raw, non-apologetic singing spread across the country. She also has done a “40-city jaunt with Eric Church, firing up audiences with a voice as unexpected as spiked sweet tea,” according to MySpace. 

Her voice conveys strength and the will to succeed in an industry dominated by pop-heavy acts. Also, you can certainly expect to hear her sing about her flaws, her struggles, and living a country lifestyle. That means a whole lot of cussing and drinking. Her music is real and unfiltered, which is something everyone can relate to.

She hopes to create a fun, live atmosphere during her performance at Iowa State as well.

“We’ll have done our job if we leave ’em tappin’ their feet, spilling their beer, and wantin’ more,” she said.

Come see A Ray perform on April 19, 2013 at Stephens Auditorium. Tickets are now on sale.