We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ashley Spitler a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ashley, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

My dad, Rick Spitler, has played the drums since he was 13, so I grew up watching him in his band and wanting to be like him. He taught me the basics of drumming at a young age, and I joined the school band in 5th grade and learned how to read music and how to play other percussion instruments. In junior high I started playing full kit, practicing to some of my favorite artists like Sanctus Real and Relient K. In college, I played drums for Campus Crusade for Christ, and eventually got involved with a local church following graduation.

My drum skills developed much more in my twenties when I was playing at a local church with my friend Kathleen Miller. She was the worship leader there who first introduced me to a click track, and she would challenge me to play songs that were outside of my comfort zone, which ultimately forced me to up my game and my talent level. That skill set me up to play at one of the largest churches in town, where I developed my skill even more, and from there I started my first band.

My drumming talent has slowly developed over 30 years, but I could have definitely sped up that process if I had taken more time to actually sit down and challenge myself to grow. But I was married for a while and had children, I have always worked full-time, I have spent a lot of time volunteering, and I try to have a vibrant social life, so sitting down to play just because has not always been a priority. But it has worked out for me thus far… slow and steady wins the race!

Ashley, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I got into the local music scene when I went through my divorce and was looking for a part-time job to supplement my income. I watched my dad play music and make his own schedule and I wondered, is that something I could do too? My dad bought me some sound equipment to kick start my dream, and I posted on Facebook asking who would like to join in the fun.

Piece by piece the right people came together to form Pop’s Garage, which was named after where we got our start – in my dad’s garage. We are a dance party band playing music from the 90s to now. We play non-stop upbeat party music everyone knows and loves without stopping, to keep people on their feet all night! We have played venues such as Centennial Terrace, Hollywood Casino, and Hensville, as well as special events all over Northwest Ohio, Southeast Michigan, and Northeast Indiana. We also won Best Cover Band in the Toledo City Paper’s “Best Of Toledo” Contest in 2023. I am so proud of what we have built and accomplished in just over 7 years.

The dance party music is so fun, but I grew up listening to country music, so I decided to also start a country band to get back to my roots. North Of Nashville has been around for just over 3 years, and in that time we’ve played various events around town, including opening for Scotty McCreery at JeepFest at Promenade Park in 2023.

Both bands are made up of super talented musicians who are honestly really humble and down-to-earth, and I’m blessed to be able to work with all of them.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I always told myself that if we were going to do this music thing, we were going to do it all the way and fully immerse ourselves! I never wanted to just play music, I always wanted to be connected. So I started going out to hear other bands, introducing myself to them, and letting them know how much I look up to them. I wasn’t even TRYING to network, I just wanted to be plugged in. In doing so, these musicians eventually came out to our shows to support us as well. Over the past 7+ years we have made a ton of friends, and being in this local music community has been so rewarding.

Our social media presence has naturally grown as we’ve met new people and gotten plugged in. I don’t think there is a magic wand you can wave to get a good following on social media. You just have to show up and do a great job at what you do, and show up for others. The following will come organically.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding thing about being an artist to me is having the opportunity to add positivity to the lives of others. When I see people I don’t even know in the audience singing, laughing, dancing, and having a good time, it brings me so much joy.

I have known people going through a devastating loss who have come out to a show to escape the pains of life through singing and dancing, and I have known people to come out to a show to celebrate some of their biggest wins. Knowing that I get to be a part of these people’s journeys, even just through playing music, brings so much meaning to what I do!

Contact Info:

• Facebook: https://Facebook.com/AshleyNSpitler
• Other: PopsGarage419.com
  NorthOfNashvilleBand.com

Image Credits

Brianna Bowlin
Em Whitehead
Alicia Stevens
Kim LaCourse
Dara Pardon
Susan Page