Country music star Ashley Campbell was selected by the US State Department for an American Music Abroad tour in Indonesia in 2023.
The whirlwind tour took place June 24 – July 9, 2023 with concerts and workshops across Jakarta, Banjarmasin, Surabaya, Makassar, Ambon. Campbell and her band played hit originals and covers, spanning country, folk, bluegrass, jazz, and rock. They had packed audiences and attracted an incredible influx of press with the popularity of country music in Indonesia. There were a wide range of outreach and special events as well, including embassy 4th of July celebrations, school visits, radio station interviews, and American Corner performances.
As an aside on the tour, before the 1st performance, the travel upright bass arrived broken. Tour manager Richard Steighner travelled 2 hours outside the city to a local luthier/repair man. Within a couple days, the bass was fixed and ready for the next show.
Her band is:
- (herself) Ashley Campbell – guitar, banjo, and vocals
- Thor Jensen – guitar, vocals
- Eli Bishop – fiddle / violin
- Christopher Gelb – drums
- Jimmy Sullivan – upright bass
Tour and Program Manager – Richard Steighner
Thanks American Voices, implementing partners for the ECA grant.