Ashley McBryde Shares Her Powerful Sobriety Journey In New Album, “Wild”
on Jul 07, 2026
Ashley McBryde Opens Up About Her Sobriety Journey
Grammy-winning country artist Ashley McBryde has become very open about her path to sobriety after years of struggling with alcohol.
While she kept her journey quiet for the most part, in June of 2025 she announced she was celebrating three years sober.
“Today marks 3 years. Since my last drink. My last time being ‘that guy’ in my social and professional circles. The last panicked phone call for help. The final slip up that caused the intervention from those that love me and the shift in me allowing me to say ‘that’s enough.’ The details are known by those who are deserving of such painful information. Gratitude is the guiding light today,” Ashley wrote.
Ashley shared that she made the decision to give up alcohol completely after coming to terms with how much it was taking over her life.
“Maybe part of being the ‘whiskey-drinking badass’ is knowing when to set it down, knowing when it’s costing you too much,” she told PEOPLE in 2023. “This had become too costly, and I’m not willing to trade this — what I do, what I love — for anything.”
In November 2025, Ashley announced she would even be opening her very own non-alcoholic bar in Downtown Nashville.
Redemption Bar, according to the singer, would feature a zero-proof cocktail menu, with each drink name inspired by song lyrics. The bar and music venue is located inside Eric Church’s Chief’s.
“It was vital that I create a space where not drinking is the forethought – normalized,” she told Rolling Stone. “You can get alcohol drinks in Redemption too, because everyone is welcome.”
Ashley McBryde Shares Her Sobriety Success In New Album
In her latest album, Ashley shares an honest look at her path to sobriety. Titled Wild, she described the new album as a reflection of her own recovery story.
Ashley says that the record is not necessarily a sobriety record, but it is a “big” part of the story. Songs including “Behind Bars” and the brutally honest “Bottle Tells Me So,” detail everything from switching alcohol brands in an attempt to cut back to meticulously tracking every drink.
Speaking with Kelly Clarkson on her daytime television show, Ashley said the album reflects her personal growth following her own stint in rehab and aims to show listeners they’re not alone in their own battles.
Watch Ashley McBryde discuss Wild with Kelly Clarkson below.
