Ashley McBryde has a new song, out now, and a new tour happening this fall. The Arkansas native released “Cool Little Bars,” written by McBryde, along with Lainey Wilson and Trick Savage. The song, an ode to the small places McBryde played early in her career — ones that are sadly becoming a thing a of the past — was released ahead of her The Devil I Know Tour, which kicks off on October 7 in Mobile, Alabama.
“Cool Little Bars” is from McBryde’s The Devil I Know album, out on September 8.
“In a time when so many of our staple establishments are being torn down to make room for far less charming, sterile and predictable gathering spaces, I thought we’d better celebrate the ones we have left and the ones we’ve yet to warm a seat in,” McBryde says.
“With the help of Trick Savage and Lainey Wilson, I think we said it pretty good,” she adds. “So, thank you for dart boards, sticky table tops, bathrooms with broken stall doors and bartenders that can mix a drink while whoopin’ an a–. We see you and we need you. God bless cool little bars.”
The news comes as McBryde is celebrating a Top 25 single with “Light On In The Kitchen,” one of 11 songs on The Devil I Know that is McBryde’s proverbial flag in the sand about the kind of music she does — and doesn’t — want to make.
“When it was time to put together The Devil I Know, my band and I did what we always do: got together in the purple building in East Nashville, played through a bunch of songs and discussed where we wanted it to go,” McBryde says. “We decided to take all the things that people tend to give us a hard time for and turn it up.”
“‘Y’all are too country.’ We leaned into that – more country it is,” the Grand Ole Opry member continues. “‘Y’all are awfully rock-leaning for a country artist.’ Is that so? You ain’t seen nothin’ yet. ‘Last thing y’all need is another tender, finger-pickin’ song.’ Oh? Tender makes you uneasy, cowboy? I hear you. Let’s see how much more tender we can be. We listened to all those opinions and said, ‘I hear you. I understand what you’re saying.’ But sadly, there’s no room on the record for your opinion. We’ll do what we want.”
See a list of all of McBrydes’ The Devil I Know Tour dates below. Tickets will be available beginning on Friday, August 11, at 10:00 AM local time. Find all of McBryde’s music, and pre-order her new record, at AshleyMcBryde.com.
The Devil I Know Tour Dates:
Oct. 7 Saenger Theatre* Mobile, AL
Oct. 15 Robinson Center Performance Hall^ Little Rock, AR
Oct. 20 John T. Floores Country Store* Helotes, TX
Oct. 21 Buffalo Run Casino & Resort – Peoria Showplace Miami, OK
Oct. 27 Uptown Theater* Minneapolis, MN
Oct. 28 Crystal Grand Music Theatre* Wisconsin Dells, WI
Nov. 2 Jannus Live~ St. Petersburg, FL
Nov. 3 UGA John Hunt Conference Center~ Tifton, GA
Nov. 4 Anderson Music Hall~ Hiawassee, GA
Nov. 10 Alabama Theatre^ Birmingham, AL
Nov. 11 Orpheum Theatre^ Memphis, TN
Nov. 12 Ellis Theatre Philadelphia, MS
Nov. 30 Stage AE* Pittsburgh, PA
Dec. 1 Danforth Music Hall+ Toronto, ON
Dec. 2 The Andrew J Brady Music Center+ Cincinnati, OH
Dec. 8 Webster Hall+ New York, NY
Dec. 9 Orpheum Theatre+ Boston, MA
Dec. 10 Keswick Theatre+ Glenside, PA
Dec. 14 Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences# Charleston, WV
Dec. 15 The Fillmore Charlotte# Charlotte, NC
Dec. 16 Rams Head Live# Baltimore, MD
Jan. 17 O2 Guildhall= Southampton, UK
Jan. 19 O2 Academy= Bristol, UK
Jan. 20 Eventim Apollo= London, UK
Jan. 21 O2 Institute= Birmingham, UK
Jan. 23 Albert Hall= Manchester, UK
Jan. 24 Barrowlands= Glasgow, UK
Jan. 25 Barrowlands= Glasgow, UK
Jan. 27 Waterfront Auditorium= Belfast, UK
Jan. 28 3Olympia Theatre= Dublin, Ireland
Support:
* Kasey Tyndall
^ JD Clayton
~ Zach Top
+ Bella White
# Will Jones
= Corey Kent + Harper O’Neill
Photo Credit: Courtesy of EB Media / Katie Kauss