Plainfield, IN (NursingSalary.org) – Ashley Wilcox Garland, a full time nursing student and mother of two, has embraced a career in music. Together with her husband [photo, right], Ashley [left] formed the party band called Ashley Wilcox and the Cosmos. The group is a few months old and started playing in Larry Paynter’s [center] Coachman Restaurant and Lounge in Plainfield.
The group can be seen on New Year’s Eve at Sidelines in Avon, and further appearances might be available on the groups’ website.
Ashley studied vocal performance at the University of Indianapolis and, for ten years, she played with various bands and appeared in a series of local productions. She met her husband at a local production of “Jesus Christ Superstar” where she was playing Mary Magdalene and Tim interpreted Judas.
A few months ago, they decided to form their own band.
“I’ve been with many local bands and performed with them all over Indianapolis, but a few months ago, I decided I was creating a band around myself,” she said. “It’s really taken off. We can do trios, acoustics or the full band.”
In terms of genres, continued Ashley, they can play little bits of everything. They can interpret anything, from these years’ pop music to Beatles. But it’s always party music, something that makes the audience stand up and dance.
Ashley also stands up in the crowd because of her pink hair. “It’s a trademark!” says she. In the interview for Indy Star, Ashley tells how she was once stopped outside Walgreens by an old lady who loved the bright color so, she warns us, if we see an 80 year old lady with pink hair around Plainfield, then we should know it’s her to blame. Timothy agrees: “People sometimes forget the name, but never the hair.”
The other members of the band are
- Joe Hudson, lead guitar
- Matt Pearson, bass
- Chris Smail, only appears occasionally and helps with the guitar
- Scott Wilcox, drummer
Scott is Ashley’s father. He had his own band years ago and, believes Ashley, is the one who introduced her to the music industry. They have the same agent Scott’s band did.
Scott sometimes finds it hard to realize that times have changed and he has to cope with the new trend. However, he realizes that now Ashley is in charge—the band is hers and she knows what she’s doing.
