Friends of the Expo—Ash Street Publishing

Publishing music may be their business, but June McHugh and Tom Gould have a broader agenda than purely stuffing the charts of Country Music Radio. “When Tom or I hear a good songor witness the raw talent of the artists we’ve signed, I’m awe-struck and then the protective “she-bear instinct” rises in me.

June McHugh is a nurturer with keen musical instincts as much as she is a fiercely loyal promoter and advocate for Ash Street Music’s artists and pool of writers.

Frank Liddell, of Carnival Music Publishing and producerof Miranda Lambert and David Nail, among others, says, “June is a publisher in the true sense of the word that is particular to the pioneers that built this town. She has built her publishing company not on the popularity wave, but on a genuine love of song and of music. When June plays me music, I listen with intrigue and excitement, and learn something new every time we speak.”

Ash Street’s catalog boasts ASCAP award-winning songs with George Strait and Josh Thompson and it includes songspicked up by Nashville royalty. Above all, Ash Street Music isproud to mentor artists down the often bumpy music business highway.

“June takes writers and artists from ground zero to thestars and never lets the stars get in her eyes,” says songwriter and ASCAP executive Ralph Murphy, “She has invested herself inbuilding strong, credible relationships in Nashville. She’s part of its social fabric.”

According to Bradley Collins of BMI, “June McHugh hasboth an uncanny ability to find talented singer-songwriters rightwhen they hit Nashville and the passion and skill to develop themto their full potential.”

Ash Street originated in Denver, CO in 1996 when husband and wife business partners Tom Gould and JuneMcHugh created the publishing company to serve as a conduit between musicians and songwriters from the Rocky MountainRegion to the Nashville market.

June and Tom compiled a catalog, using their own songsalong with songs written by Rocky Mountain region songwritersto build a presence in Nashville, TN, where their first officeopened in the summer of 2002. On March 17, 2003, Ash Streetpurchased its own office building on Music Row, which was soldJanuary, 2010.

Ash Street Music's core business is music publishing andsong placement, and the development of talented songwriters.In the last few years they have received ASCAP awards for theirwork with artists George Strait and Josh Thompson and haveenjoyed success with artists Pat Green, Danielle Peck, Lonestar,Ronnie Milsap David Adam Byrnes, Sixwire, Will Hoge, RandyTravis and Jason Aldean.

For more information visit AshStreetMusic.com.

June McHugh - C.I.C. (Chick in Charge)

June McHugh was born and raised inDenver, Colorado. Immersed in the tunes ofElla Fitzgerald, the Gershwins, Cole Porter andmusical theater from an early age, she developed both a loveand an ear for music of all kinds.

As a teenager, June began singing in Denver’s nightclubsand launched her own five-piece cover band, Trigger Finger. Thegroup played the Rocky Mountain region to an enthusiasticfollowing. Two members were later added to Trigger Finger,including writer-singer-guitarist Tom Gould, with whom June fell in love and later married. The group remade itself into a countryswing band and began playing mostly original tunes – includingJune’s, as she discovered this additional talent.

Trigger Finger’s CD release, “A Little Bit of This and a LittleBit of That,” sold well. And it was the beginning of somethingnew: June needed a publishing company for the album’s originalsongs, and Ash Street Music was born.

Over Trigger Finger’s eight years together, June found hermusical focus shifting to songwriting and publishing. Today, withAsh Street offices in Nashville and a growing record of successunder its belt, it is clear that June’s instincts are on target.

June has a degree in English literature from ColoradoCollege, and credits her passion for songs and songwriting to herlife-long love of poetry and prose. She is deeply grateful to herthree daughters and her parents for their generous support thatallows her to follow her dream.

Tom Gould
President & Senior Writer

President and Senior Staff Writer TomGould has played, sung and written songsmost of his life. Tom is the senior staffwriter “in age only” and President of Ash Street; and very proudto be associated with the other writers and staff.

Songwriter Kat Korac says, “Writing with Tom is a greatexperience. He knows how to take an idea and wrap his magicaround it. He is a writer who listens to what his heart is saying.”

Alison Williams, another Nashville songwriter and vocalartist, echoes Kovac’s sentiments,” Tom Gould is a generous andgifted songwriter. I met Tom on my very first trip to Nashvilleand he was one of the first to offer to co-write with me. Firsttime co-writes can sometimes be difficult if the writers don’tknow each other well, but with Tom, it felt like we had beenwriting partners for years. Meeting Tom Gould and being giventhe chance to establish a writing partnership with him has beenone of the best parts of my Nashville experience and songwritingcareer.”