To an outsider, Ashley Monroe is a Nashville success story. As she wrote in her Instagram post heralding the release of her latest record, Dear Nashville, during the past 23 years, she has released six solo albums, released four more with Pistol Annies, co-wrote two songs that went to number one on country radio, and has been nominated for Grammy Awards three times. She’s accomplished much more than the typical singer-songwriter looking for glory in Music City.
However, Monroe is not happy with the way she’s been treated by the town. Dear Nashville is a concept record about her professional experiences. The eight songs tell her story as a love letter. She begins with the diatribe “I Hate Nashville” and ends with “Quittin'”, but neither title is accurate. Her love for Music City is clear in the lyrics of the first song, and despite her protestations in the last track, she’s staying put. Monroe and the town have had their share of better and worse, but they are still together.