The new DAN ASHLEY album OUT THERE is the result of a powerful collaboration with his long-time friend, music producer, and writing partner Bill Bentley. The pair worked seamlessly together with a shared vision for what the album could be. Also contributing to OUT THERE are well respected musicians such as internationally acclaimed soul artist Cornell “CC” Carter and longtime Y&T drummer Mike Vanderhule. Both were so pleased upon hearing the initial tracks for OUT THERE that they offered to contribute to the material, and as a result elevated the album to a whole new level. 

From upbeat and driving rockers to gentle ballads, all with a classic Americana and rock music sensibility, listeners will find a variety of songs on this new release. The title track “Out There” is a reflection on DAN ASHLEY’S lifelong fascination with the mystery and enormity of the universe, asking a basic question: if there is other life out there somewhere, do they suffer the same challenges that we all do? Dan sings, “Out there, is there war, is there pain? Is there even much to gain by tearing each other down, like this theater in the round?” He sings about life’s formative experiences and endless summer days at his childhood home on “Redbud Road,” and salutes Americans across the country for doing what we had to do to protect ourselves and our communities from this pandemic with “We Stayed Home.” And he doesn’t forget to thank his “Lucky Stars” for the undeniable feeling of love, connection, and gratitude that comes with being with the perfect person for you, and the sense of gratefulness all of us should have for the many blessings in our lives

Red Bud Road

Now And Then

1 River City

DAN ASHLEY brings a distinctive voice and his unique life experience to the Bay Area music scene with his exceptional blend of Americana and rock and roll. Following the release of his full-length album Out There in 2021, DAN ASHLEY is excited to present his new single “YOU’RE A FRIEND OF MINE,” a duet with the legendary Grammy-award winning NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN (Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, Sting, George Michael) on October 21, 2022. Narada originally co-wrote the song with Jeffrey Cohen for Clarence Clemons and Jackson Browne, and both the song and music video featuring actress Daryl Hannah were a huge hit in 1985.

You're A Friend Of Mine (Featuring Narada Michael Walden)

We’ve all had those moments in life when we didn’t feel like we belong or fit in. “Outside Looking In” is a boy wins the girl story that a lot of people can relate to for various reasons. The boy in this song isn’t the cool kid, he’s not the quarterback or the one voted most likely to succeed. He’s the underdog.  But, when he was given a chance, the popular girl saw him in a new way and, in the process, changed herself.. I wanted to write a story about that kid and what can happen if you dream and take your shot.

Outside Looking In

The holidays are such a special and magical time of year and such an important part of the continuity of our lives. I have so many fond memories of Christmas time when I was a kid and, thankfully, just as many as an adult. This is about the excitement and anticipation of the approaching holiday season. I hope it fills your heart with the joy of the season.

Put Up The Lights

Small Town Nights tells the story of coming of age in a simpler time. Long before the internet, social media, and even cable TV, life moved at a different pace and with a different rhythm. A night out on the town with a date or friends on a Saturday meant cruising main street in your dad’s car and a movie at the local theater.  “I wanted to write a song that reflected my high school experiences growing up in a small college town in North Carolina”, says singer and songwriter Dan Ashley. “But, much more than that, this is a song that reflects the same joys, pressures, and questions that teenagers still ask and face today”, he says. “In so many ways, a kid's life today is made a lot more complicated by all of the distractions and pressures that the internet creates, but that shouldn’t rob them of the simple pleasures of being young”.  This song celebrates those ideals.


Small Town Nights

We all need to “get a little lost” every now and then! In this crazy busy world, filled with pressure, expectations, and demands, who doesn’t want to feel the sand between their toes sometimes. I wrote this song about that need to get away with the one you care about for a few days of fun in the sun. The chance to, as the song says, “feel the breeze in your hair” is just the vacation we all want and need when things get a bit frantic in our everyday lives. “Get Lost” takes you to that place where you can stretch out on a towel at the beach and just relax with that special someone and maybe even an “ice cold daiquiri”. Enjoy!

Get Lost

Janet is a song about a real woman who has no place to call home. She lives in Walnut Creek, California and is someone that Dan Ashley has known personally for years. He often sees and speaks to her several times a week as she tends to spend her days on the same patch of sidewalk in the downtown area. “I speak to Janet quite regularly and often give her a $10 or $20 dollar bill just to help her make ends meet. For a long time, as I reflected on her circumstance, I wondered about her background and how she came to be three in the hot sun, sitting on the sidewalk day after day for years. Was she ever someone’s wife? Was she once a daddy’s girl and, as my song asks; “with little dimples and golden curls”. In my role as a journalist, I’ve reported on the homelessness issue extensively for decades, so I wanted to explore the topic in song and to address it in a very personal way through the life of a very real and very sweet person named Janet.

Janet

“Let it Ring” reflects the joyful celebration that is Christmas and the Holidays! With his latest Holiday release, Dan brings a lifelong sense of wonder about the spirit of the season. “Some of my fondest memories are singing in the junior choir on Christmas Eve. With a living nativity scene, real frankincense and myrrh, handbells, and everyone holding a candle to light the sanctuary, it was simply magical. From the music, to the movies, to the hustle and bustle of shopping, I love everything that the holidays represent. It’s the best of us and I hope that “Let it Ring” captures just a little bit of that Christmas magic."

Let It Ring

“What Really Matters is a song I wrote that reflects a lifetime spent as a journalist. In all of those years, I can truly say that I’ve seen it all- the best in people and the worst. In those moments, it can be hard to come to terms with why bad things happen to good people. But, in every instance, I have seen decent people step forward and help those in need—providing safety, comfort, and love. This song is for them.”

What Really Matters

“Christmas has always been my favorite time of year.  With my parents and my three siblings, we always went to pick out the family tree right after Thanksgiving from a lot not far from the house, take it home and decorate it that night. That began the countdown to Christmas morning and my sister, two brothers and I could hardly contain ourselves!  I sang in the junior choir as a kid and the music of Christmas was always the most fun for me to sing which is why I wanted to share this song with you. “My Favorite Time of Year” represents everything meaningful to me about the Holidays. I hope you enjoy the song and I wish you and your family all the best in this Christmas season.”

Dan Ashley Music

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