Fayetteville, we are so excited to celebrate 13 years of Stars & Guitars with you this year, and our FIFTH artist for 2025 has been on our wish list for a few years now and we finally got her! Please welcome ASHLEY COOKE to Stars & Guitars!
Ashley is appearing at Stars & Guitars thanks to our friends at Big Loud Records. Ashley came out of the gate strong in her career, and her latest song drop "The Hell You Are" is going to be another big hit for her.
Complete Stars & Guitars coverage is here. Tickets on sale FRIDAY, August 29 at 9:30 a.m. in person, and Noon online.
The Artist
Who is Ashley Cooke?
Ashley Cooke has weathered the storm and is ready to open her heart and shed the armor as she looks to her next chapter. With new music on the horizon and after a year filled with some of the highest highs and lowest lows, breakout country sensation Ashley Cooke has dug deeper than ever into her songwriting and storytelling to reveal her strongest, most vulnerable, and most honest work yet.
After winning Belmont's prestigious Country Showcase and releasing her debut album on Big Loud/Back Blocks Music 'shot in the dark,' Cooke went on to win her first CMT Award for Breakthrough Female Video of the Year in 2024 and has been nominated twice for ACM's New Female Artist of the Year, as well as Best New Country Artist at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards. Cooke also notched her first #1 hit at Country radio with her breakthrough track, "your place." As her career started to thrive and take flight - something she had been working towards since penning her first song at the age of eleven - the silky songstress' personal life seemed to be spiraling. Cooke and her family navigated severe health issues, losses, heartbreak, and struggles with mental health - all while putting on a smile night-after-night on stage to deliver unforgettable moments with her fans and showing gratitude for the amazing accolades she began to stack up. Those experiences and hardships have fueled Cooke more than ever to throw herself completely into her music - and what's to come is a testament to that.
Cooke has made debuts at the Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Auditorium; national TV appearances on ABC’s The Bachelorette and NBC’s TODAY Show; collaborations and tours with Ne-Yo, Rascal Flatts, Joe Jonas, Marshmello, Luke Bryan, Jordan Davis, Cole Swindell, Brett Young; an opening slot on Kane Brown’s stadium and arena tour. This August, Cooke will head out as direct support for Parker McCollum.
The Music
Ashley Cooke's Biggest Hit
Ashley has had so many great songs, but we gotta go back to the place it all started. She came out the gate strong with her duet "Never Til Now" with Brett Young. It still gets us in our feels.
Here's a look at how you can connect with Ashley!
Stars & Guitars Quiz
Sarah is the trivia master, holding down The Big Wake-Up with Don Chase & Sarah weekday mornings on KML, and serving as the station’s Programming Director. She keeps it real, honest, and open often explaining the ups and downs of life. Outdoorsy and nature-driven, Sarah enjoys hiking with her German Shepherd, Mila, going for long scenic drives, and catching a concert or local sporting event. Sarah also enjoys and writing about cooking healthy meals, wine, exercising, Harry Potter movie marathons, singing loudly in her car, and eating way too much pizza.
