Johnny Ashby – new single: Back In 1993

Johnny Ashby 2Johnny is an emerging artist on the UK songwriter circuit. Through a love of Paul Simon, Fleetwood Mac and Ryan Adams Johnny has crafted his own sound, blending his love of American songwriting with his UK roots to create his own style. His songs are both uplifting and comforting through their honesty and intimacy, making a listener feel that he is singing to them, and only them.

“There’s nothing more rewarding than connecting to a listener, a stranger, or someone the other side of the world. I try to do this through my songwriting, by keeping the lyrics and music as honest to myself as I can”.

Johnny’s new single is ‘Back In 1993’, a delightful reminiscence of his five-year-old self.  More importantly it speaks of his developing relationship with his father – “now I’m in my twenties. still going along five” – and that makes it a real feel-good song. It’s lighter than some of his material, just finger-picked acoustic guitar with restrained electric slide in the background but that is all it needs: a song for an Indian Summer.

Dai Jeffries

Johnny grew up in surrounded by music, raised on a diet of Fleetwood Mac, Blondie and The Police. It wasn’t long before he picked up a guitar and began to write, then he did what every kid with a guitar does and formed a band. The last two years he has been focussing his energy on touring and writing and recording his debut album.

‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Girl’ is an upbeat, feel good summer track, heavily influenced by the story telling writing style of Bob Dylan, crossed with a jam style feel of Paul Simon’s ‘Graceland’ period. ‘Back In 1993’ on the other hand, is painfully honest and reminiscent. He writes about long car journey’s as a kid with his Dad to create a song that will speak to everyone.

“I admire songwriters like John Mayer and Ryan Adams…they’ve both managed to find a way to connect with people by modernising that 1960’s ‘Bob Dylan’ sound, and that’s exactly what I’m trying to do”.

Artist’s website: http://www.johnnyashby.co.uk