Preston Ary continues to shine in music industry

Mountain Grove has fostered the abilities of many talented people, including lawyers, doctors, educators, and even a stock car driver.

One Wright County native who once called Mountain Grove home, Preston Ary, is making his impact as a now seasoned musician.

Ary moved to the Mountain Grove area from Willow Springs when his father, a football coach, accepted a position with the Mountain Grove School District. 

“I went to school in Grove from fifth grade on,” Ary said. He became a multi-sport athlete, competing in basketball, football, and track, and it was there that he discovered his love for music.

“I always liked music. I just didn’t know I was musically inclined,” he said. However, this changed in high school after he enrolled in a guitar class to fulfill a fine art credit. 

“I wasn’t that good at first, but I really liked playing and eventually got better.”

Once Ary was confident in his guitar-playing ability, he added words to his music, taking inspiration from the essays and poems he worked on in various English classes. The first song he wrote, he said, was an emotional coming-of-age anthem he described as “Angry Taylor Swift.” 

Ary matriculated at Central Methodist University, where he played football. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in wildlife ecology, ultimately deciding to pursue music. 

“I planned to be a teacher, but I spent half of my life in classrooms and realized I didn’t want to do that anymore,” he said.

So, he picked up his guitar and went to Nashville, Tenn. After a successful recording session, Ary moved to the city with a band of miscellaneous friends. It was there he recorded his first album, “Came Here to Party,” which has been re-released as “Same Story Different Day.” 

He credits his time in Nashville, Tenn. as the starting point of his career, but said it wasn’t without trials and tribulations.

“My roommates got engaged and moved out, so it was hard to make ends meet for a while,” Ary said. “But I was able to get my foot in the door.”

Around this time, the Preston Ary Band was formed; aside from Ary himself, the group comprises guitarist Kevin Helmerichs, bassist Josiah Kee and Brendan Wiesehan on drums. The band flourished following its inception, but the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a slew of canceled gigs. 

The group decided to retreat to the studio and began collaborating with various artists, including TikTok star Bryan Andrews, whom Ary worked with on the single “Drinkin’ Alone Again.” The song garnered roughly 46,000 streams within two weeks.

“I’m proud to be a part of his journey,” Ary said regarding Andrews’ rise to stardom.

After realizing the studio’s potential, Ary continued recording with–and for–other artists. 

This led to the creation of Better Man Records. Located in Fayette, the recording studio’s name comes from a song called, “Better Man,” that Ary wrote for his wife, Elizabeth.

Ary emphasized his commitment to helping fellow artists.

“When I started my music career, I had little experience,” Ary said. 

“So I want to help people who started like me.”

Better Man Records assists musicians with social media marketing, music distribution and artistic direction. Artists sign a contract with the label and are guided through the process of recording and producing original songs. 

Singer-songwriter Davin Basham, also from Mountain Grove, signed a contract with Better Man Records after the pandemic.

“He’s a guy with fire and a passion for music,” Basham said of Ary. “There’s nothing that goes unnoticed in the recording process.”

Many of Ary’s songs are inspired by his experiences in Mountain Grove and include references to his hometown. Ary has written over 100 songs, though not all have been released. 

“I have a bunch in my back pocket,” he said.

Although Ary’s writing process varies for each song, he often follows a traditional story formula with an introduction, climax and conclusion. He utilizes the Notes app on his phone to jot down lyrics whenever inspiration strikes, later revisiting these ideas to create melodies.

Ary’s goal is clear, “One of these days, I would like to have a number one.”

For now, balancing his career with family life is challenging. 

“Dad by day, musician by night,” he said. Ary’s wife, Elizabeth, works for an insurance company during the day, while Ary stays home with their 2-year-old son, Ace. His bandmates provide much-needed social interaction and camaraderie.

With 21 songs released and roughly half a million streams in total, Ary continues to make music grounded in the values of Wright County.

“Don’t let people say your dreams are not attainable,” Ary said. “Because I’m still chasing mine.”