“I’ve written nearly every song on all my records, so when I cut one I didn’t write, it means something,” McBryde shared.

Ashley McBryde; Photo Courtesy of Katie Kauss

Ashley McBryde is an artist who writes most of her material. So when it comes to turning to outside cuts, she’s highly selective because each song has to align with the message she is trying to convey to her fans.

“I’ve written nearly every song on all my records, so when I cut one I didn’t write, it means something,” McBryde confirmed in a press release of the tracks she puts out that don’t list her as a writer.

Her latest release, “Rattlesnake Preacher” means a lot.

Ashley McBryde’s “Rattlesnake Preacher” Single Art

In fact, McBryde is sharing the song in honor of her late friend and collaborator Randall Clay Snowden, who penned the cut before he passed away in 2018.

“Randall was part of a group of songwriters that helped me write some of the most formative songs of my career,” McBryde shared of the respected songwriter, who co-penned a string of her releases, including “American Scandal,” “Tired of Being Happy,” and “El Dorado,” from her third studio album, Girl Going Nowhere. “His songs will always find a home with me to continue his legacy.”

Out today Thursday (June 26) via Warner Music Nashville, “Rattlesnake Preacher” is a swampy uptempo tune that’s tailor-made as a staple song to electrify audiences at large-scale concerts. The studio version, produced by John Osborne, includes McBryde’s Deadhorse band. Having the band involved personalizes the track even more by providing a similar delivery that emulates a live setting.

Featuring sawing fiddles and electric guitar, “Rattlesnake Preacher” finds McBryde singing of a father, who by nature is a man of God hailing from South Alabama. Keeping with the family legacy, he spends his life chasing the Devil away just like his dad did, so much so that he handles venomous snakes with his two bare hands.

“My daddy was a rattlesnake preacher / My daddy was a man of God /  My daddy was a rattlesnake preacher / In south Alabama,” McBryde sings throughout the chorus of the track, which allows her to let her vocals shine.

Fans have been clamoring for a recorded version of “Rattlesnake Preacher” ever since McBryde began performing the song in her set list years ago. She also recently delivered a performance of the song during her 2025 CMA Fest concert, where she served as a co-host alongside Cody Johnson. Aside from treating fans to the jam in her live shows, she has been teasing the track on her social media pages, sharing portions of the recording with followers.

“This one is for the folks who aren’t afraid to kick down the doors standing in their way,” she captioned a post on Instagram, including a snippet of the studio version of “Rattlesnake Preacher” for all to hear.

“‘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,” McBryde shared in a statement. “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.”

Ashley McBryde, Cody Johnson; Robby Klein via CMA Fest/Disney (ABC)

McBryde is currently on the road playing a series of headlining shows across the U.S. before jumping on tour with Little Big Town and Dwight Yoakam for select dates. For a complete list of shows, visit McBryde’s official website, here.