Lauded by Los Angeles Times as “one of Nashville’s most reliable and sophisticated songwriters,” Grand Ole Opry member Ashley McBryde earns a nomination from the International Bluegrass Music Association for Song of the Year with “Willow,” marking her first nomination as a sole writer, and performed by eight-time 2024 IBMA nominees Sister Sadie (Deanie Richardson, Gena Britt, Jaelee Roberts, Dani Flowers and Maddie Dalton).
“About a decade ago, I had just bought a little Recording King parlor guitar, and I couldn’t wait to write on it,” McBryde explains. “I sat down and out popped ‘Willow.’ It sure felt good to stay connected to my bluegrass roots. Sister Sadie has given this song the best life it could live. Congratulations, ladies!”
As longtime friends and co-writers, Flowers reached out to McBryde for any hidden gems she had available, immediately sharing “Willow.”
“I remember Ashley working on this song years ago when we were roommates and have always loved it,” shares Flowers. “I wasn’t aware that she had finished the tune until I joined Sister Sadie, and she sent it to us to consider for our latest record! It became an instant favorite of everyone in the band the second we heard it. Ashley McBryde is truly a master at her craft of songwriting.”
“When I first heard ‘Willow,’ I could hear us doing it,” adds Richardson. “I could hear Jaelee slaying this tune vocally. I could hear this funky groove that came to life in the studio. It’s got a deep pocket and has been a crowd favorite out on tour.”
“We’re so thrilled to have been given the opportunity to bring this song to life and to the world,” shares the bluegrass supergroup. “We were extra excited to learn about its nomination for Song of the Year at this year's IBMA awards and to share the nomination with our honorary 'sister' Ashley!”
Found on their album No Fear, which received a nod for IBMA’s Album of the Year, McBryde is also a co-writer and featured on “Ode to the Ozarks.” As frequent collaborators, she also co-wrote their GRAMMY nominated song “Something to Lose” with Flowers and Terri Jo Box from 2018’s Sister Sadie II.
Following her hosting duties for ABC’s CMA Fest special, McBryde has headlining dates across the U.S. through the summer before joining Cody Johnson on The Leather Tour this fall. For additional dates and tickets, visit AshleyMcBryde.com.
Photo Credit: Eric Ahlgrim
About Ashley McBryde
GRAMMY, CMA and ACM award winner Ashley McBryde cut her teeth playing country songs in biker bars – and it shows. The Grand Ole Opry member’s 2018 major label debut Girl Going Nowhere (Warner Music Nashville) charmed The New York Times, NPR, Rolling Stone, Paste, The Washington Post and more, all en route to landing a GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Album. McBryde closed out 2019 with ACM New Female Artist, CMT Breakout Artist, a New Artist of the Year win at the 53rd Annual CMA Awards and two nominations for the 2020 GRAMMYs for Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance for “Girl Goin’ Nowhere.” Follow-up Never Will was tagged by Rolling Stone as one of the most anticipated of the year alongside NPR, who also ranked her Top 10 RIAA Platinum-Certified single “One Night Standards” as one of the best songs of 2019. The album earned McBryde a 2021 GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Album, making Never Will the only album nominated for Country Album of the Year by the ACMs, CMAs and the Recording Academy in the same award season. Her GRAMMY-winning duet with Carly Pearce, “Never Wanted To Be That Girl,” went all the way to No. 1 and earned McBryde and Pearce the ACM and CMA award for Musical Event of the Year. McBryde was also honored with the 2022 CMA International Artist Achievement Award for the most significant creative growth, development and promotion of the country music industry outside of the United States. Her collaborative project Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville earned McBryde her third consecutive GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Album, making her a six-time nominee. Her latest album The Devil I Know was released to critical acclaim, earning a title as one of the best country albums of the year from Rolling Stone, Billboard, Slate, PASTE, Holler and more. The Arkansas native will headline shows across the U.S. this summer before joining Cody Johnson’s The Leather Tour this fall. For more information, visit Ashley McBryde.com or follow her Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube.
About Sister Sadie
Sister Sadie, which launched in the wake of an ostensibly one-off show at Nashville’s World Famous Station Inn in 2012, has both embraced and transcended its all-female identity, earning acclaim that includes being named as the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year in 2020, as well as Vocal Group of the Year in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Members range from acclaimed veterans to rising newcomers, who have won individual recognition, too, with founding member and fiddle player Deanie Richardson named as Fiddle Player of the Year in 2020 and banjo player/vocalist Gena Britt — SPBGMA’s reigning Banjo Player of the Year — having participated in three award-winning collaborative projects. The lineup is rounded out by 2021 IBMA Momentum Vocalist of the Year and Mountain Home recording artist Jaelee Roberts (guitar), Dani Flowers (vocals and guitar) and bassist Maddie Dalton, winner of one of IBMA’s Momentum Instrumentalist of the Year Awards in 2023. The band’s previous release, Sister Sadie II, earned them a GRAMMY nomination for Best Bluegrass Album in 2019.
Photo Credit: Katie Kauss
