With her singular melodies, no-holes-barred lyrics and haunting vocals, Ashley Taylor puts her own unique spin on the classic seventies-inspired female singer/songwriter. Born to a school teacher mother and musician father in Roswell, Georgia, her formal music training began (and ended) with two tear-inducing years of piano lessons. When she was twelve, her father bought her a folk-sized guitar, showed her a handful of chords, and she spent the next couple of years writing, playing and singing in the privacy of her own bedroom. Later, while at college in Savannah, she discovered what she calls “The Piano,” a Yamaha baby grand in a nearby historic church which she used to play whenever she could, sometimes even at two or three in the morning. She began to view songwriting like painting a picture, experimenting with melody, structure, and raw biographical lyrics. The turning point for her came one day when a friend discovered her stash of original songs hidden in a file on her iPod. The friend confessed to listening and sharing the songs with other friends and convinced Ashley she had something truly original to share with her music. In the ensuing years as she’s honed her performing skills, Ashley admits her music has become even more straightforward. “A lot of my writing is dark and heavy. But I want people to feel dignified and empowered when they’re coming to terms with the dark things that have happened to them. I want to be as honest as I can and not apologize for that…give people something to relate to.” She’s played in Savannah, New York City and in Atlanta, where she’s based.