Welcome to Ashley | en

Hailing from Seattle, but arriving seemingly out of nowhere, Welcome are both distinct and familiar, at once drawing the listener in, and suggesting worlds of possibilities. An essentially traditional line-up of guitar, bass, drums, dual (often double-tracked) vocals, and a couple of guitars (admittedly augmented by some unconventional home made pedals and FX), they manage to wrench or coax new shapes at will. Formed over ten years ago, Welcome have taken their own time to find their voice, making allowances in their schedule to accomodate other bands, projects, and a lengthy hiatus, before returning with newfound focus. Having undergone several...

Monroe was born on September 10, 1986 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Growing up, her parents played songs by the Eagles and Lynyrd Skynyrd, so her country rock roots started early, and she was already taking piano lesson before she turned seven. At age 11, she won a talent contest in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee (home of Dolly Parton's resort "Dollywood"), singing "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart." She subsequently found steady work performing in a theater in Pigeon Forge. A couple year later, her father gave Monroe her first guitar, and she began writing her own songs. But tragedy struck when...

"There is a woman in the room," Ashley Cleveland announces on "Queen of Soul," the rousing lead-off track from her latest release, Before the Daylight’s Shot. Though she may be singing about Aretha Franklin, that simple declaration could double as Cleveland’s own motto as an artist. In a music scene overpopulated by breathy girls and melismatic vamps, Cleveland is that rare thing - a woman who sings like a woman. A woman with grit and passion. A woman who’s not afraid to follow her longings into places both light and dark. Yes, she can roar and wail with maximum soul...

The Welcome is an up-and-coming indie rock band fronted by singer/songwriter Gehring Miller, formerly of the band Audible Empire. They recently released their debut, self-titled EP, which can be heard right here and downloaded for free at the band's website, www.thewelcomemusic.com. The Welcome will be playing shows in and around Chicago beginning in February 2010. .