With her singing and songwriting prowess, Ashley Monroe has won the hearts of many music lovers around the world. It’s no surprise how she has gotten critical acclaim for the tunes she made. As of writing, Monroe has released five full-length studio albums, along with numerous singles, and her fans are always waiting for more.
In the meantime that the singer-songwriter has been teasing us with a brand-new album, so why don’t you go through some facts about her to know the country songstress more?
1. She’s a native of Knoxville, Tennessee.
Born Ashley Lauren Monroe on September 10, 1986, Monroe was raised in a family with a great love for country music. Her parents, Larry and Kellye Monroe, played songs by the Eagles and Lynyrd Skynyrd, so her country rock roots began pretty early.
2. She began performing in a theater at an early age.
At age 11, Monroe won a talent contest in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee with the country song “I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart,” – which did not only win her a prize of $100 but also landed her a job at a theater in the city.
3. She found comfort in songwriting.
A couple of years later, the budding young artist received her first guitar as a gift from her father. Sadly, Mr. Monroe died of cancer when she was only thirteen, and songwriting became her way of coping up. Monroe found that penning songs about what happened to her life and how she felt made it easier for her to muddle through.
4. She’s in one band with Miranda Lambert.
Some facts many fans surely know was that Ashley Monroe is close friends with Miranda Lambert and that they are bandmates.
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Lambert was already a bona fide star when she teamed up with Monroe and Angaleena Presley, who were better known behind the scenes as industry songwriters. The three formed the all-female country supergroup called Pistol Annies in 2011 and quickly defined themselves as modern-day outlaws, with their songs reaching the top of country charts.
5. She’s a married woman.
In 2013, Monroe married John Danks, a former professional baseball pitcher who proposed to her after a show during the Pistol Annies Tour. The couple got hitched at a sunset ceremony with the scenic Smoky Mountains serving as the backdrop.
Miranda Lambert served as the maid of honor and wedding planner while her then-husband, country superstar Blake Shelton officiated the wedding.
6. She is sadly diagnosed with a rare type of blood cancer.
In 2021, Monroe shared to fans a frightening revelation – her cancer diagnosis. The singer-songwriter was feeling well; however, a routine blood work revealed that she had anemia. It wasn’t until Monroe had a biopsy that she learned she had Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, a type of lymphoma. Monroe quickly began treatment.
Before 2021 ended, the country singer announced that she had finished her last round of chemotherapy.
We are totally rooting for Ashley Monroe. We hope you enjoyed these facts about her.
