ASHLEY E. NORTON RAMONA’S SONGBIRD

WRITTEN BY CHARLENE PULSONETTI | PHOTOS COURTESY OF ASHLEY E. NORTON

Ashley E. Norton will be the first to tell you that Ramona had a rich music scene well before she became a part of it. Still, there is no denying that she’s quickly made an impact since arriving a few years ago. She brings a wealth of industry knowledge and connections to the table, and in turn, Ramona has become a respite for her and her husband, Bradley Stevens.

Though her career has taken her across the globe, this songbird loves to call Ramona “home.”

“We both feel like we are thriving,” she says. “Every night, there is something to do.”

When the pandemic halted touring, Norton and Stevens, her boyfriend at the time, started looking for a place to settle down.

“I’ve heard of this little town, Ramona — I don’t know much about it. Why don’t we go there?” she recalls him suggesting.

“We love hiking,” she says. “That was one of the things that really saved us. In 2020, we were all going a little nuts — I didn’t know anyone. Brad and I would hike everywhere. I got to discover the land before I discovered the people.”

Then, they learned about Ramona’s wineries and music scene.

“I said, ‘I’m gonna be a winery musician — I’m going to manifest that now,’” Norton says.

After connecting with Teri Kerns and Micole Moore of Ramona Ranch Vineyards & Winery, she founded the Songbirds of Ramona Ranch — a private, ticketed acoustic event featuring primarily female singer-songwriters for an intimate in-the-round performance. This format has been adapted for Humphreys Backstage Live in San Diego, where it’s known as “Songbirds of Shelter Island,” and in other states as “Songbirds on Tour.”

On Feb. 26, Ramona Ranch Vineyards & Winery will host a private, ticketed event, as Norton and her band, Lady Psychiatrist’s Booth, release their first full-length album.

Information on Norton and her projects may be found at ashleyenorton.com.

She takes joy in seeing locals come out, and even trek down the hill, to support Ramona musicians, which she believes shows how strong the relationship between musician and audience member is.

“That’s what we do — we look out for each other,” she says, sharing that she and Stevens love being a part of the audience for Dirty Confetti’s weekly performances at Ramona Family Naturals.

In addition, Norton plays each Wednesday evening at the Par Lounge and Deck in San Diego Country Estates.

“That has grown to be its own scene too. I love it there so much,” she says. “Everyone is so nice, and the food is so good. That feels like my other home (aside from Ramona Ranch Vineyards & Winery). It makes my heart so full watching10 people I know sitting on the side, laughing and requesting songs.”

Those who watch Norton or meet her around town are sure to also meet her tiny dog, Garfunkel.

“He was one of three,” she says about the day she met him. “Garfunkel sat in my lap and didn’t leave, so I said, ‘Guess he’s the one.’”

“ I moved to town and said, ‘I don’t know what’s gonna happen,’ and everyone welcomed me with open arms.”

Audience members regularly walk him or pass him around during shows — that is, when he isn’t taking the stage.

Garfunkel is especially fond of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” and Lady Psychiatrist’s Booth’s “Hell in Michelle.”

“It became his song,” Norton says. This year, she plans to put out a solo acoustic album. She’s also partnered with Ramona Music Center owner Jon Hasz to form the Ramona Music Alliance — a new group promoting local talent and music venues.

“Jon Hasz has done so much for the music scene,” she says. “Without the Ramona Music Center, as a music scene, we’d be lost.”

Other individuals she credits include Michael Dean Goodrich, who started open mic night at Smoking Cannon Brewery, and photographer John Hancock, who she says is a champion of musicians.

“I want to thank the community for always being so welcoming,” Norton says. “I moved to town and said, ‘I don’t know what’s gonna happen,’ and everyone welcomed me with open arms. I think that goes for anyone in town. Everyone is so nice and willing to help. If that weren’t the case, then we wouldn’t have that thriving music scene and this thriving music career. I’ve toured all over the world. I’ve never been happier to live in this really cool town and do my music and feel like a Ramona rock star.”

Pinned to the desk of the late Chuck LeMenager, this quote is how he strived to live his life. Those who knew him would say he’d lived a full and successful one.

“The old cliché that he had a full life was very applicable,” says his son Jack LeMenager. “He lived 96 years, and he made the most of every year.”

But living an accomplished life is not his only triumph — LeMenager’s impact on Ramona and the backcountry stretches far beyond his own personal successes. His dedication influenced the community in many areas, but two, specifically, are notable.

During his time as California’s Director of Housing and Community Development in the first term of Gov. Ronald Reagan, LeMenager had several encounters with developer Ray Watt. After Watt’s company acquired acreage in San Vicente Valley with the intention of building a planned development, the search was on for someone to lead the project.