I saw Ashley at a Celtic Festival in Boston some yrs ago, they were highlighing 'youth' & he is as good as what's just been said about him. I believe he played with 2 other "kids" 1 maybe a cousin & they were causing my socks & the socks of everyone else there to roll up & down like window shades & the crowd was "WOWed" by them. He did a bit of talkin, being a Bostonian & him being a Cape Breton along with the crowd, I heard nothing outlandish but I couldn't understand much either, though the crowd did & seemed to love him, except for maybe a few purists.

1st off I believe nothing from the scandle sheets, as it is I believe only half of what I actually see & nothing of what I hear espically when it's from a 2nd or 3rd (rate) source. If he's gone down a drug or a drunk's road it'll show up & you'll know for sure, untill then go see him for yourself. If he's been down some road you can't abide & he's come back again, the mores the credit to him. But by all means don't judge his music by some newspaper or reporter's standards. He's well worth seeing. I know many musicians/singers that are great but they can't navigate a course past a barroom door. Their greatness may not last as long but until then they are worthy of hearing even though it's a pity to see such human waste. Then on the other hand if he going to pot you'd better catch him while he's in his prime or it's you who'll have had wasted a worth while opportunity.
Now does anyone actually know the actuall context & content of the "so called" statement & does anyone know if his words/reply were twisted or not for the sake of selling schock value shit. He's still pretty much a kid, does anyone if he just didn't stumble & stick his foot in his mouth by mistake, we'd all love to take back comments we've made that just didn't sound the way we thought they'd sound before or as we were making them. Who hasn't taken a bite of their own toe? Don't be a part of destroying a talented kids career unless you know for sure 1st hand of what you accuse him of. He talented enough where he should be at least given the benifit of the doubt before he or you has enough rope to hang him with. I know he wasn't 'out of it' when I saw him, he was far beyond flawless!
I bet Woody had a few drinks & said a few things too!

"Piss Off"

Barry