Ashley McBryde Takes Listeners To Church With New Single “Rattlesnake Preacher”

Ashley McBryde does not miss, and this new tune is a rip.

This song may be new to some fans, but if you’ve been a loyal follower of McBryde since the beginning or are an avid concertgoer, it might sound a little familiar.

Ashley McBryde is following the release of her last single, “Ain’t Enough Cowboy Songs,” with a certified Southern twanger, “Rattlesnake Preacher.” McBryde and her band, Deadhorse, have been performing the song live for years and finally felt like it was time to take the song to the studio.

“‘Rattlesnake Preacher’ has been a staple in our live show since the bar days, and we’ve constantly been asked by fans when it’ll make it onto a record. As we were gearing up for my second year of co-hosting CMA Fest, it felt like the perfect time to finally get this one out there. It’s my way of saying thank you to the fans who have shown up, listened and gave this song life long before it was ever recorded.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ashley McBryde (@ashleymcbryde)

I’d say this is a pretty good thank you gift for fans.

When McBryde and Deadhorse went to record the tune, they told producer John Osborne that they wanted to capture the electric energy they had while performing this song on stage for the studio recording. I think it’s safe to say they hit the nail on the head with that mission.

The rip-roaring intro of the song captures your attention instantly and is kept throughout the entirety of the tune as McBryde passionately sings about a small, and arguably heretical, sector of Christianity. The practice of “taming” venomous snakes is primarily found in Pentecostal and Holiness churches. The practice typically occurs at congregations located in the Appalachian region of the United States, where it is known as “snake handling” or “serpent handling,” however it’s been outlawed in many places after a number of people were bitten. 

For most, the meaning of taming a snake is getting rid of those feelings of temptation, sin, and judgment that Satan tempts you with. McBryde takes you to church as she powerfully delivers the lyrics, preaching that her father has the power to banish those evil spirits away.

“He knew the good book real good
And knew the bad all too well
He spent his lifetime rattlin’ cages
And runnin’ that devil’s ass back to Hell

My daddy was a rattlesnake preacher
My daddy was a man of God
My daddy was a rattlesnake preacher
In South Alabama
My daddy was the Devil’s undertaker
My daddy was a saver of souls
My daddy was a rattlesnake preacher
Just like his daddy before him was…”

Even just after reading those lines, I feel cleansed. “Rattlesnake Preacher” is a must-listen.

Turn it up.

Ashley McBryde Tour Dates

June 26            Country Stampede // Topeka, KS
June 27            The Claude Cox Omniplex & The Bob Arrington Rodeo Arena // Okmulgee, OK
June 28            Billy Bob’s // Fort Worth, TX
July 4              Freedom Over Texas // Houston, TX
July 10            Weldon Mills Theatre // Roanoke Rapids, NC
July 11            Paramount Center for the Arts // Bristol, TN
July 12            Country Concert 2025 // Fort Loramie, OH
July 17            Kresge Auditorium // Interlochen, MI
July 18            Country Thunder Wisconsin // Twin Lakes, WI
July 19            The Amp at Log Still // Gethsemane, KY
July 24            River Run Day Lodge // Ketchum, ID
July 25            Night in the Country Nevada 2025 // Yerington, NV
July 28            Uptown Theatre Napa // Napa, CA
July 29            Cascade Theatre // Redding, CA
July 31            Spokane Live // Airway Heights, WA
Aug. 1             Happys Inn // Libby, MT
Aug. 2             Big Valley Jamboree // Camrose, AB
Aug. 7             WE Fest // Detroit Lakes, MN
Aug. 8             Bourbon Theatre // Lincoln, NE
Aug. 13           Put In Bay // Put-In-Bay, OH
Aug. 15           Country Thunder Alberta // Calgary, AB
Aug. 22           MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre // Tampa, FL with Little Big Town
Aug. 23           The Wharf Amphitheater // Orange Beach, AL with Little Big Town
Sept. 5             First National Bank Arena // Jonesboro, AR with Dwight Yoakam
Sept. 6             Black Oak Mountain Amphitheater // Lampe, MO with Dwight Yoakam
Sept. 12           Point of the Bluff Vineyards // Hammondsport, NY
Sept. 13           Spyglass Ridge Winery // Sunbury, PA
Sept. 14           Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre // East Meadow, NY
Sept. 26           Grand Ole Opry: Live in London at Royal Albert Hall // London, U.K.
Oct. 3              McKnight Center for the Performing Arts // Stillwater, OK
Oct. 4              Stars Over Texas Music Festival 2025 // Ennis, TX
Nov. 7             Tuacahn Amphitheatre // Ivins, UTThe post Ashley McBryde Takes Listeners To Church With New Single “Rattlesnake Preacher” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.