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Julianne Ankley
Julianne Ankley's soulful Americana, blue country, roots style hails from a small Michigan border town close to the shore of Lake Huron and within earshot of the musical influences of Detroit.
Ankley’s release “What Makes You Dance” won the 2025 Michigan Music Award for Outstanding Americana Single/Recording and was the number two most played and requested song for the year on Sonic Coast Radio.
Her cowritten cuts for artists’ Glenbrooke (“Tattoo Ain’t About You”) , and Michelle Chenard’s “Michigan Winter” can be heard on the radio and streamed now.
With 14 Detroit Music Awards, Julianne Ankley has been writing heartfelt songs and delivering electric performances for years. To date she has released four solo albums and four singles. Her songs have been used on national television (WXYZ ABC) for the annual “Woodward Dream Cruise” special, she performed live on the nationally televised “America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade" (WDIV NBC), and by HomeAid of America for PSA campaigns to raise funds for housing the homeless. Julianne tours nationally as a performer/speaker and also splits her time between writing and recording in Nashville and her home in Michigan.
As a songwriter, Julianne has written with hit songwriters Byron Hill, Dave Gibson, Mike Dekle, Gary Hannan, Cowboy Troy, Amanda Williams, Jon D'Agostino, Michelle Chenard, and Caleb Malooley of the Gasoline Gypsies and Glenbrooke. She has performed at many songwriter shows alongside hit writers including Aaron Barker Sr., Chas Sandford, Gary Hannan, Dave Gibson, Heidi Newfield, Kristen Kelly, Byron Hill, Angie Kielhauer, Jeff Prince, Bernie Nelson, and Barbara Cloyd.
She's been the celebrity host and performer for the Hard Rock Cafe stages in Nashville during the CMA Fest for several years, and continues to perform at Nashville’s top songwriting venues such as the world-famous Bluebird Cafe, the Listening Room, Douglas Corner Cafe, Tootsie’s, and more.
Quotes:
"What Makes You Dance" has exploded in popularity with our listeners nearly instantly. It's an uplifting song that clearly resonates with them. After programming radio station for 40 years - songs like this only come around once in a great while." - Brian Maloney, Founder and Media Executive Sonic Coast Radio
“Julianne Ankley continues to write great country songs and “What Makes You Dance” hits it out of the park .“ - Tim Roberts, Vice President/Format Captain, Programming 99.5 WYCD/Audacy Detroit
"Julianne Ankley's "What Makes You Dance" brightens your spirit and celebrates the good things in life. Add Julianne's wonderful voice, that was made to sing a country song, and you have a song that should be a smash hit. If there was justice this song would be played far and wide on country radio." - Bill Keith, Trinity House Theatre Concert Coordinator
"What Makes You Dance" makes me wanna break out dancing across my living room as I contemplate all the things in life that bring me joy. Julianne’s amazing vocals ooze happiness on this song, and you can feel the energy of delight start to finish. I just added it to my “Summer Fun” playlist and in my humble opinion this song is a hit."- Jane Asher, Sonic Coast Radio
Ankley’s release “What Makes You Dance” won the 2025 Michigan Music Award for Outstanding Americana Single/Recording and was the number two most played and requested song for the year on Sonic Coast Radio.
Her cowritten cuts for artists’ Glenbrooke (“Tattoo Ain’t About You”) , and Michelle Chenard’s “Michigan Winter” can be heard on the radio and streamed now.
With 14 Detroit Music Awards, Julianne Ankley has been writing heartfelt songs and delivering electric performances for years. To date she has released four solo albums and four singles. Her songs have been used on national television (WXYZ ABC) for the annual “Woodward Dream Cruise” special, she performed live on the nationally televised “America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade" (WDIV NBC), and by HomeAid of America for PSA campaigns to raise funds for housing the homeless. Julianne tours nationally as a performer/speaker and also splits her time between writing and recording in Nashville and her home in Michigan.
As a songwriter, Julianne has written with hit songwriters Byron Hill, Dave Gibson, Mike Dekle, Gary Hannan, Cowboy Troy, Amanda Williams, Jon D'Agostino, Michelle Chenard, and Caleb Malooley of the Gasoline Gypsies and Glenbrooke. She has performed at many songwriter shows alongside hit writers including Aaron Barker Sr., Chas Sandford, Gary Hannan, Dave Gibson, Heidi Newfield, Kristen Kelly, Byron Hill, Angie Kielhauer, Jeff Prince, Bernie Nelson, and Barbara Cloyd.
She's been the celebrity host and performer for the Hard Rock Cafe stages in Nashville during the CMA Fest for several years, and continues to perform at Nashville’s top songwriting venues such as the world-famous Bluebird Cafe, the Listening Room, Douglas Corner Cafe, Tootsie’s, and more.
Quotes:
"What Makes You Dance" has exploded in popularity with our listeners nearly instantly. It's an uplifting song that clearly resonates with them. After programming radio station for 40 years - songs like this only come around once in a great while." - Brian Maloney, Founder and Media Executive Sonic Coast Radio
“Julianne Ankley continues to write great country songs and “What Makes You Dance” hits it out of the park .“ - Tim Roberts, Vice President/Format Captain, Programming 99.5 WYCD/Audacy Detroit
"Julianne Ankley's "What Makes You Dance" brightens your spirit and celebrates the good things in life. Add Julianne's wonderful voice, that was made to sing a country song, and you have a song that should be a smash hit. If there was justice this song would be played far and wide on country radio." - Bill Keith, Trinity House Theatre Concert Coordinator
"What Makes You Dance" makes me wanna break out dancing across my living room as I contemplate all the things in life that bring me joy. Julianne’s amazing vocals ooze happiness on this song, and you can feel the energy of delight start to finish. I just added it to my “Summer Fun” playlist and in my humble opinion this song is a hit."- Jane Asher, Sonic Coast Radio
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