Ashley McBryde Named CMA Foundation’s Inaugural Artist Ambassador

Ashley McBryde. Photo: Daniel Meigs

Ashley McBryde has partnered with the CMA Foundation to launch its inaugural Artist Ambassador program as part of its Unified Voices for Music Education initiative. The program expands on the organization’s awareness and advocacy efforts in support of music educators, students and teachers as they continue to face challenges amidst the current global health pandemic.

As the first UVfME Artist Ambassador, McBryde will use her voice to advocate for music education throughout the month of November. McBryde will work with music educators in a variety of ways including creating an original band-specific video lesson plan, meeting virtually with music educators to discuss challenges they are facing during this time and sharing how music education led to her career in country music. Before pursuing a career as an artist, McBryde attended college with her sights set on becoming a band director, knowing firsthand the importance of music education in students’ lives.

“I am so excited to be the CMA Foundation’s first Unified Voices for Music Education Artist Ambassador,” says McBryde. “Music education has always been a big part of my life and has had an enormous impact on the musician and writer I am today. It is a career highlight to be a small part of a program that will better allow teachers and students a chance to engage with music education during such unprecedented times.”

The CMA Foundation launched UVfME in July in response to a need for resources, stemming from COVID-19’s impact on music education. The online collective serves as a place where music educators can interface through lesson plans and other creative methods, as they find innovative ways to teach and connect with students during this unprecedented school year. UVfME is a collaborative effort guided and executed by a network of music education professionals from across the country in partnership with the CMA Foundation.

“The CMA Foundation is thrilled to have Ashley McBryde as our first Unified Voices for Music Education Artist Ambassador,” says Tiffany Kerns, CMA Foundation Executive Director. “Ashley’s passion for music is evident in her career as a Country artist and her enthusiasm for music education is unmatched. We are excited for her to be involved with the UVfME initiative throughout November, as she finds creative ways to encourage music educators during this time and develops resources for students to access nationwide.”