Her 2016 extended play (EP) titled Jalopies & Expensive Guitars drew attention from country artist Eric Church.

She earned one of country music's crowning achievements when she was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry by Garth Brooks and was subsequently inducted by Terri Clark on December 10, 2022.

"[6] As a child she was drawn to the music she heard around her house,[7] which included songs by The Carpenters and Kris Kristofferson.

[10] McBryde participated in the high school marching band[11] before attending Arkansas State University where she studied French horn.

[7] In one class session, a college professor noticed her disinterest and suggested she drop out to pursue music full-time.

[10] The EP was discovered by Eric Church, who invited McBryde to play her song "Bible and a .44" onstage with him during one night of his "Holdin' My Own" tour.

The project was heard by Cris Lacy, a senior vice president for Warner Music Nashville.

[15] McBryde made her first appearance at the Grand Ole Opry in 2017 and received a nomination from the Grammy Awards around the same time.

[32][33] "The air of defiance in the name Never Will sets expectations for Ashley McBryde's second major-label album, echoing how the title Girl Going Nowhere framed the understanding for the 11 songs on her stellar 2018 debut," wrote AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine.

[35] Later in the year, she collaborated with Carly Pearce on the duet "Never Wanted to Be That Girl", which was released as a single in September 2021 and subsequently became her first number one hit on the Country Airplay chart.

She delayed the release of what was expected to be her third major label album in order to release the concept album Lindeville, which was produced by her longtime friend John Osborne and featured a close circle of nine key collaborators, including Brandy Clark and Caylee Hammack.

The album which is named after songwriter Dennis Linde, was based on the idea of creating a fictional town for the characters in her songs to live.

[1] Writer Mark Deming characterized McBryde as "a vocalist and songwriter with a touch of rock & roll swagger, a honky tonk heart, and a lyrical voice that puts a modern-day spin on classic country themes".

[3] Rolling Stone's Jonathan Bernstein called her "a whiskey-swilling high priestess of dive bars whose radically lyrics-driven, rock-leaning approach to mainstream country commands instant attention".

[2] In regards to influencing her musical style, McBryde credits Mary Chapin Carpenter,[41] Charlie Daniels,[42] Patty Loveless,[41] Dolly Parton,[43] and Hank Williams.

[44] McBryde has publicly spoken about having a difficult relationship with her father due to her decision to pursue a music career.

[45][46] "My favorite song I've ever written being 'A Bible and a .44'... it's about my father, who does not approve of any of his children making a living in any kind of entertainment industry.

[46] In September 2021, McBryde was forced to postpone a few concerts, in the midst of her headlining This Town Talks Tour, after falling off a horse and landing on her head.

[47] In her YouTube series, "Made For This", in episode 7 of season 1, Ashley details her experience and recovery from the horseback riding accident.