Naomi Ashley

With her gorgeous cream-and-Kahlua voice, Chicago's Naomi Ashley is a dazzling performer who brings her songs to startling, vibrant life. When she's singing, she disappears into the song. Her pitch-perfect voice has the ability to convey pitch perfect emotional life. The music she makes is intimate, plainspoken and gorgeously sung – drawing on the American folk, blues and country traditions – which surge with all the contradictory impulses of real, imperfect life. Her newest album "Love Bug" was released in February 2024.

She is a 3-time recipient of grants from the Chicago Artist Assistance Program and Illinois Arts Council for her albums 'Trying to Fly' (2013) and 'Another Year or So' (2007).

A cross-genre collaborator, Naomi has performed & created original works with writer/spoken word performer David Kodeski, poetry slam founder Marc Smith and Hungarian born/Chicago visual artist Zsofia Otvos. She also is lead singer of the Pretenders tribute band, Real Pretenders.

Naomi's band is made up of Chicago music scene veterans: Andon Davis (guitar), Cathie Van Wert (violin), Michael Krayniak (bass) and Paul Bivans (drums).