Monticello Live

Poet Ashley J, top right, is the author of two books Chains are Broken: Prayers and Poems and Under Construction: God’s at Work. Ashley is an inspirational/Christian poet and a published author, blessed to travel to many locations to share her art. “Too blessed to not express,” she says is the reason she goes to reach God’s people.

Ryan Harmon, bottom right, is a 26-year-old Arkansas native (“Lamar By-Golly Arkansas,” to be more specific) who became an instant internet hit after his performance of his original song “I Knew This Would Happen,” during an audition for season 3 of ABC’s American Idol in March 2020. This song appears on his 2020 album, Country Fried. Harmon’s songwriting has always focused on real life and real people, as evident on his 2017 self-titled, debut album. One of the album’s more prominent songs, the humorous, yet true, anthemic country heartbreak “You Left, My Dog Died, and My Heart Did Too,” was featured on an NPR Music playlist of dog-themed songs in January 2018.