Ashley Cooke Releases Two New Songs “running back” & “dirt on ’em”

Ashley Cooke is here with not just one but two brand new songs for us. “running back” and “dirt on ‘em” are being added to the incredible catalog that we have heard from Cooke this year alone,  alongside songs like “back in the saddle”, “getting into”, and “Never Til Now”. 

“running back” was written by Cooke and Emily Weisband. It reveals unresolved feelings and ‘what if’s’ about her football-star high school sweetheart and confesses she would still go ‘running back’ to him if he asked. 

“I’ve had a few somebody news // Thought about forever too // But I run away when it gets close to that // ‘Cause no matter how far down the road // The crazy thing is I know // If you called and said you’re missin’ what we had // I’d come running back”

“dirt on ‘em” was written by Cooke, Jessi Alexander, and Alysa Vanderheim. Here Cooke admits she tends to like guys who are rough around the edges and knows enough to expect that that also means they might come with a messy reputation. 

“501s look better with some mud on ‘em // And those hands feel better with work on ‘em // And I ain’t afraid of a little whiskey stain // On your name going round this small town // I don’t mind a little static on the station // A little nitty gritty with a messy reputation // Drives in 35’s // Trouble in their eyes // something ’bout a guy // with some dirt on ‘em”

Both of these songs portray the lyrical and vocal talent that Cooke continues to bring to the country music scene. Coupled with her transparent persona and relatability, it is no wonder why she has experienced the success she has over the past couple of years. 

Cooke is one of the most exciting rising country artists to watch. From viral Tik-Tok fame as an independent artist during the pandemic, to signing with Big Loud earlier this year, this has been Cooke’s biggest year yet and there is still more to come. This past month alone she made her Grand Ole Opry debut and stepped on the Ryman stage for her sold-out two-night debut on Cole Swindell’s Down to The Bar Tour.

In July, she made her national TV debut on The Bachelorette with her re-imagined version of her hit song “Never Til Now” with Brett Young – which continues to climb the charts at country radio. As Cooke puts it herself, “this is only the beginning”, and we could not agree more. We can not wait to see “running back” and “dirt on ‘em” enter the world, and will be anxiously waiting for even more new music before the end of the year.