“TV viewers know Dan Ashley as the handsome, silver-haired dude comfortably poised in a chair, anchoring three KGO-TV newscasts each weekday. But the 59-year-old can be kind of a human scooter, periodically whizzing to a gig where he’ll sing in front of his eponymous Americana-country-rock band. Unless he’s off to yet another philanthropic appearance.
Onstage, Ashley plays guitar, and noticeably sings up a proverbial storm. His newest album, “Out There”—a collaboration with Bill Bentley, his longtime friend, writing partner, music director and producer, and lead guitarist and lynchpin of the Dan Ashley band—showcases his vocal and instrumental talents. On April 15, he’ll present his annual Rock the CASA show at the Lesher Arts Center in Walnut Creek, his transplanted hometown, with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts headlining, to benefit children in need.
Rock the CASA with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts is at 8 p.m. April 15 at the Lesher Arts Center, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. Tickets are $50-$250; visit rockthecasa.org.“
Click Here to Listen to “You’re A Friend of Mine”!
Dan Ashley’s “You’re A Friend Of Mine (feat. Narada Michael Walden) ties for #1 on NACC Top 5 Folk Adds! ~ 11/16/22
For Immediate Release – San Francisco, CA – Accomplished singer 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.
NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN recently brought the song to DAN ASHLEY thinking he would be a natural fit for an updated version of the material and recorded this new single with him at his own Tarpan Studios. As with the original version, Narada recorded drums and vocals for the track, and appears with Dan in the official music video. All proceeds from the single will be split between the NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN FOUNDATION and Dan Ashley’s own ROCK THE CASA FOUNDATION. “I’m very proud of my friendship and brotherhood with Dan “Dash” Ashley!” says Narada. “I love Dan, he’s a great human being which inspired me to record this smash song as a new duet for the Narada Michael Walden Foundation and the Rock the CASA Foundation for kids!”
“YOU’RE A FRIEND OF MINE” also features Jackson Allen (guitar), Angeline Saris (bass), Katie Walden and Nate Soulsanger (backing vocals), and Dave Ellis (saxophone). Videographer Tommy Merry shot an official music video on the same day they recorded the track at Tarpan Studios, which also features Katie Walden and her twin sister Kelly Walden along with Dan and Narada. “Narada is one of my dearest friends and an incredibly warm-hearted and talented artist and producer,” says Dan. “I’m deeply grateful for our friendship over the past many years and I’m honored to record this amazing song with him to benefit not only Rock the CASA, but the Narada Michael Walden Foundation.”
As a vocalist, DAN ASHLEY has led his highly acclaimed band for many years, headlining notable venues and opening for such great artists as REO Speedwagon, Rick Springfield, Cheap Trick, Eddie Money, Patti LaBelle, Melissa Etheridge and more. He has also shared the stage with many other consummate performers over the years including Dionne Warwick, Neal Schon (Journey), Brad Gillis (Night Ranger), and multiple Grammy winner Narada Michael Walden, among many others. Dan is regularly asked to perform the National Anthem at a variety of events, including for the NBA, MLB, NCAA, and NHL, and also recently performed alongside headliner Night Ranger in Reno, NV, and Foghat at the Ojai Nest Fest Veterans Benefit in Ventura, CA!
With the release of his remarkable album Out There in October 2021, DAN ASHLEY shared in the joy, heartbreak, love, and loss that are part of our common humanity. 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 the album. Backed by a group of extraordinary musicians who have played and toured with an impressive list of major artists, Out There is the result of a powerful collaboration with his long-time friend, music producer, and writing partner Bill Bentley. Also contributing to the release were well respected musicians such as internationally acclaimed soul artist Cornell “CC” Carter and longtime Y&T drummer Mike Vanderhule.
DAN ASHLEY has been around music and passionate about it his entire life, starting as a child with guitar and piano lessons, and then singing in the junior choir at his church in North Carolina. Always the storyteller, Dan Ashley is also a journalist and news anchor for ABC7 – KGO Bay Area TV, and in his 35 years on television he has reported on a wide range of issues and events that affect our lives. Dan has covered stories all over the Bay Area, the country, and the world, and has received many industry awards including the prestigious DuPont Columbia Award, two Edward R. Murrow Awards for excellence in journalism, and numerous Emmy Awards for Best Newscast and Individual Reporting.
Dan Ashley also created the non-profit Rock the CASA Foundation to raise money through an annual concert to benefit the CASA organization and other charities, and over the years the event has featured several internationally known bands and artists. Listen for his single “Redbud Road” from Out There on Highway 1 Radio!
To order or stream the new single “YOU’RE A FRIEND OF MINE” please visit:
For more information about DAN ASHLEY and his new single please visit: www.danashleymusic.com
To order or stream DAN ASHLEY music on Bandcamp please visit:
https://danashley.bandcamp.com
For Press and Interview inquiries please contact Billy James of Glass Onyon PR:
(828) 350-8158 or glassonyonpr@gmail.com
For Digital Marketing please contact Jerome Forney of Independent Distribution Collective: jerome@independentdistro.com
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Click Here to Listen to OUT THERE!
“Out There is a real stomper with great hooks and a lot of style!”
“Out There will be a real pleaser for long time fans while also offering a great gateway for newbies. Fans will likely hear notes of John Mellencamp, Tom Petty and others of the ilk here. The tender ballad “Lucky Stars” comes mid-album but Ashley’s back to rocking real quick with “Da Na Na Na Na,” an ode to the power chord (without power chords) that has an irresistible chorus that demands a sing along.”
“Damn. I sure wish this guy were my newscaster. Turns out Dan Ashley, a television journalist and news anchor for ABC7/KGO-TV in San Francisco, also is quite the singer — and he proves it on Out There. This 11-track CD features Ashley’s slightly weathered yet instantly likable voice, a stellar band and passionate songs that encourage repeat listens and boast widespread appeal. Ashley delivers. No wonder he’s opened for everyone from Cheap Trick and Melissa Etheridge to REO Speedwagon, Rick Springfield and Patti LaBelle.”
“From start to finish Out There takes you on a feel-good ride. You can hear Dan Ashley’s passion for making music and for bringing people together. Out There will fill you with nostalgia and provoke your thoughts in one listen. This is an album to watch out for and to listen to with the volume turned all the way up!”
“Dan Ashley is a man of tremendous experience and talents, and music is one of them. His solo album Out There presents 11 tracks firmly anchored in hard-driving rock and roll with masterful forays into lush ballads and Americana. In collaboration with legendary Concord-based producer/engineer/multiinstrumentalist Bill Bentley, Ashley offers a collection of mature, thought-provoking and playful songs.”
Click Here to Listen to The Morning Breezecast Interview with Dan Ashley on iHeart Radio!
Translated: “Down-to-earth music with a high degree of authenticity, played fresh and bold. “Da Na Na Na Na” is another one of those ‘ Springsteen’ rockers with a punch. “Feel The Heat” follows and the rhythm guitars drive the song along with pounding drums. “
Translated: “Dan Ashley’s debut for radio stations on the domestic American highways is exactly the right music to get from city to city. Thoughtful, but also engaging in the emotional moment.”
Translated: “‘Lucky Stars’ surprises with its minimalist posture in a ballad with piano and smooth guitar; also the energetic rock with an interesting dose of power at the end of ‘Da Na Na Na Na‘ and the soulful ambience of Out There. The electric and acoustic elements are combined in a balanced way, giving space for Ashley’s voice to stand out.”
“I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Out There, by Dan Ashley and it’s packed full of likely radio tracks. With hints of John Cougar and straight up radio rockers, Ashley is joined by Bill Bentley on guitar, bass and keys, Mike Vanderhule on drums and Cornell CC Carter, Angela Ashley and Angeline Bentley.”
“This quite stunningly opulent new album opens on the free wheelin’ River City and the AOR rocker Redbud Road and backs those up seamlessly with the mid-tempo pairing of both Nothing Now and What Really Matters and then we get the sweepingly beautiful, lo-fi guitar and piano ballad Lucky Stars.
Next up is one of my own personal favorites on this new album, the raucous rock ’n’ roll of Da Na Na Na Na which is in turn followed by the storytelling of Better Life, and then we get the foot-tapping melodies of the title track Out There, the rhythmic rock of Feel the Heat, with the album rounding out on the AOR of We Stayed Home, closing on the mid-tempo balladry of Now and Then.”
“This SF anchor rocks out as a very credible AOR bombast singer that knows how to rock out. You could give this set a blind fold test. You would place it firmly in the 70s but you’d place it a lot closer to Y&T than you would Ted Baxter. It’s clear he knows how to make news as well as report it.”
Click Here to Listen to the Big Blend Radio Interview with Dan Ashley from October 15, 2021!
For Immediate Release – San Francisco, CA – Accomplished singer 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. With the release of his remarkable new album OUT THERE on October 15, 2021, DAN ASHLEY shares in the joy, heartbreak, love, and loss that are part of our common humanity. Backed by a group of extraordinary musicians who have played and toured with an impressive list of major artists, Dan is thrilled to share his new music with his fans.
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.
For more information about DAN ASHLEY and his album OUT THERE please visit: www.danashleymusic.com
To order or stream the new DAN ASHLEY album OUT THERE please visit:
https://smarturl.it/DanAshleyOutThere
To order or stream OUT THERE on Bandcamp please visit:
https://danashley.bandcamp.com/album/out-there
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Independent Distribution Collective Blog 