ASHLEY SCOTT

Q. Thanks for interviewing with us. Tell everyone who you are and what you do.

A. Thank you for having me. It’s an honor to be in your publication. My name is Ashley Scott. I am a singer/ songwriter mainly in the genres of R&B and Jazz. I am a native of Philadelphia and graduate of Howard University in Washington DC where I received my Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Music. I have been in the music industry for a lot of years both on the creative and business side. On the creative side I have 7 singles released on my own label Soulful Sounds International Records and have performed on the same stages as Eric Roberson, Will Downing, Take 6, Jean Carn, and Bilal... On the business side I have worked in Marketing, Promotions, and Event Production. Current and past clients include Will Downing, Marcus Johnson, Najee, and Kenya.

Q. Tell us a little about your journey and how you got to where you are today?

A. Well I was always a singer and in college a friend of the family got me a job at a concert venue where the who’s who of Classic Soul performed from Teena Marie, The Whispers, The O’Jays, etc. She said I needed to know the business and behind the scenes. At this venue I learned Stage Production, Contracts, Club and Radio Promotions and Venue Management. I started my own company Philash Entertainment Group in college and from there I began producing events and doing promotions in Philadelphia. Started a non-profit called The Artists United to help educate adults and the youth on the Entertainment Industry.

Q. Who or What influenced you to pursue a career as a singer/ songwriter?

A. My parents had an amazing record collection and they always played Earth, Wind, & Fire, Stevie Wonder, and Chicago. However, my aunt (dad’s sister) Helen Scott is a singer with a female trio from Philadelphia called The Three Degrees. She started at the age of 15 and the group is still performing to this very day. They are known for the songs “When Will I See You Again” and “TSOP - (The Sound of Philadelphia)” which was the longtime theme song for the show Soul Train. Seeing a video of her performance at The Royal Albert Hall in London in 1979 is what inspired me to do this. My mother also grew up on the same street in West Philadelphia as The Delfonics (known for “La La Means I Love You” and “Didn’t I Blow Your Mind”). The group members Randy Cain, William Hart, Wilbert Hart and later Major Harris became like the extended Uncles. Watching and listening to both of these groups gave me a foundation of musical harmony and arrangements as well as a liking for Pop and Jazz standards. For instance, The Three Degrees were known for performing songs like “MacArthur Park” and The Delfonics have a great cover of “Alfie.”

Q. What makes your music different and more unique than others?

A. My music and creative process is very traditional. Most of my songs with the exception of the dance remixes has all live instrumentation in them. I really focus on making timeless music that will last and be remembered forever. I have had a few singles thus far, especially “Dance the Night Away” and “Don’t Throw Our Love Away” which are songs that have given me international acclaim especially in the UK.

Q. Let’s talk about your single and the motivation behind the song?

A. “Together” was a piece of art that was carefully crafted. While the motive is always timeless music I was intentional with the song being a wedding song that people could either use as a first dance or walk down the aisle to. Musically speaking I was going for warm chords and a time signature to give you space to sing. Once my friend/producer Stan Davis established the track with the rhythm section, I had to have live strings and horns. Also being from Philadelphia, the song had to reflect the lush sound that the city is known for from the 70’s and Neo Soul eras. I sought out a legendary arranger that I have always known and respected, Dennis “Doc” Williams. Doc is the longtime musical director for The O’Jays and has done arrangements for them. Gerald Levert, and more. I was looking for counter melodies with the strings and good punches with the horns. Doc was the right call for this one. Going back to the timeless music I love watching the late nighttime Life infomercials on their CD collection and musical tv shows and it’s a dream to create songs to stand the test of time. All of that inspiration was used to paint the song “Together”.

Q. If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?

A. That list is too long to name but anyone that I have been inspired by and who makes great music and that ranges from Jam & Lewis; Carvin Haggins & Ivan Barias; Dre & Vidal; Frank McComb; Stevie Wonder; Eric Roberson; Lalah Hathaway; etc. I was able to collaborate with my friend and mentor Will Downing on the song “Dance the Night Away.”

Photo credit: Will Downing

Q. What is one fun fact about yourself?

A. There are a few. Outside of music I love being a dad to my two daughters ages 6 and 3; researching my family history and connecting with cousins; and watching Professional Wrestling on tv weekly both WWE and AEW.

Q. If you could perform anywhere in the world, where would it be?

A. Right now I would love to perform overseas in the UK and Japan. Those audiences are really supporters of the music and once they love you, they love you for life. I know that as those are 2 of the main places The Three Degrees have been performing in their 59-year existence. In the states I would love to hit major markets like Washington DC, New York, Chicago. Los Angeles, Atlanta, etc...

Q. Are you working on any new projects or upcoming events?

A. I am beginning to work on a new song to release later in the year as well as an original jazz tune. I am trying to stay consistent with releasing 2 to 3 singles a year.

Q. How can the readers follow you?

A. My website is AshleyScottMusic. com. On Instagram and Twitter, it’s AshleyScott3. On Facebook they can go to Facebook.com/ IAmAshleyScott and Tik Tok is @AshleyScottMusic. I also produce a weekly radio show for Indie Soul and Jazz called Soulful Sounds Radio. They can get that on my website as well or from Soundcloud.com/ SoulfulSoundsRadio

“I was always told to remain independent as an artist in the entertainment Industry from my Howard University college professor (Jazz Pianist/Producer) Webster Lewis as he said a record contract is nothing but a credit card, what they pay out you will pay back.”