Since 1944, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic has always been in “relationships.”But over the years, some of those relationships have fizzled out, and the organization has found it means much more to be just “friends.‘Like a Rose’ Ashley Monroe
“You Ain’t Dolly (And You Ain’t Porter),” a single from Ashley Monroe’s album, “Like a Rose,” finds her trading tongue-in-cheek lines with country star Blake Shelton on a witty duet soaked in Nashville traditions.
Despite what the lyrics contend, Monroe shares many traits with Dolly Parton. She comes from a struggling family in East Tennessee. She sings in a fetching, tender-yet-strong warble. She writes story-songs steeped in real-life drama, yet with a sunny underpinning. And she has a natural, down-home charisma that shines through on everything she does.
A member of the Pistol Annies, Monroe’s big-name supporters are many: Vince Gill co-produced her album and she’s already collaborated with Jason Aldean, Ronnie Dunn, Wanda Jackson, Ricky Skaggs, Jack White, Dwight Yoakam and the rock band Train. No wonder “Like a Rose” has the audacious sound of a newcomer whose talent is already in full bloom.
