Hey everybody,

I have so much to tell you; it has been a whirlwind around here since I wrote to you before. In the last entry I was telling you about rehearsals for the North American Country Music Association's annual national/international competition. My audition times were scheduled on Tuesday March 6th, so the day before we drove up to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee hoping for the best. I was SO nervous because I was still struggling with the laryngitis "stuff" that I had been sick with for over a week (some of y'all might remember the cancelled Flying Machine gig due to that). As of Monday, my speaking voice was back but when I tried to sing I sounded like Kermit. We were ON THE WAY TO TENNESSEE FOR THIS HUGE COMPETITIION and I couldn't even go through my vocal warmups. :0 Needless to say, I was a little scared. So I just shut up (literally) and prayed that I would be able to do a good job representing Georgia.

On Tuesday morning I woke up at the hotel and my voice had healed up A LOT. It kept getting stronger throughout the day (Yess!). An hour before my audition time I changed all my song choices because my voice was back, and again, prayed and hoped for the best. Thankfully, I was able to do performances (I had three audition times that were for different categories) that I felt like were the best I could give and had a lot of fun doing it. As we headed back to Georgia on Wednesday morning I knew that I would just have to wait and see what would happen at the awards show on Sunday.

Next thing I know I am sitting in a row at the Country Tonite Theater, listening to them calling out the award winners for different categories. Sitting around me are talented contestants from every state association, as well as Canada and New Zealand. Suddenly it hits me that there is NO WAY that I'm going to get to walk across that stage. And then they called out my name! I had won Female Vocalist of the Year. I was shocked, and even more shocked later on that night when I won Entertainer of The Year and Duo of the Year with one of my best friends, the talented Chelsey Bellnier (www.chelseybellnier.com).  It was a surreal night, to say the least. What made it even more incredible was that I was among some of the best singers, dancers, and instrumentalists that I have ever met. Not all of them were in my categories, but to say that they all have an awesome talent is an understatement. I feel so blessed to be able to be a part of events like that, and so grateful to be a part of the Georgia Country and Gospel Music Association. All of its members did so well at NACMAI last week; Georgia was really represented well. I hope you'll visit www.gcgma.org to check out all of the Georgia contestants and award winners. And thank y'all so much for your well wishes and support during the whole thing! You ROCK.

Hehe, I feel like I've already written a book, but there's still more to tell you. FINALLY, my live band, BlackJack Ketchum, has started rehearsals for the 2007 show schedule! I am so excited! We are still looking for one more member to join eventually, but the guys already involved are a great and talented group. They are:

Don Denson- Lead Guitar.

Jay Presley- Bass.

Brian O'Heir- Drums.

I can't wait for you all to hear it live! Our first gig scheduled as a band is at Snellville Days on May 5th. Check out the show calendar for more details~ we'd love to see you there!

If you are reading this right now, you have almost completed Ashley's storytime. Haha! Thanks again for all of the support...love ya! Besitos!

-Ashley