Country Stars Embrace the Dry House

Since it opened, country stars have taken to the Dry House, a blow out salon in Nashville. From red carpets to photo shoots, the Dry House's work can be seen on a variety of country royalty.

Written by Erin Duvall
Country Stars Embrace the Dry House
Cassidy Bentley and Ali Ryan, Photo provided by Ryan

Since it opened in June 2014, country stars have taken to the Dry House, a blow out salon in Nashville’s Green Hills neighborhood. From red carpets to photo shoots, the Dry House’s work can be seen on a variety of country royalty. The queen, of course, is Dierks Bentley’s wife Cassidy, who is co-owner of the salon with stylist Ali Ryan.

Ryan relocated to Music City after years working in New Jersey and New York City, and soon began working her future business partner.

“I was already doing Cassidy Bentley’s hair at the time,” Ryan told Sounds Like Nashville. “We started talking and she said, ‘Would you be interested in having a business partner?’ I was like, ‘Of course!’ We took off on that point and it was great.”

The goal was simple, Ryan says, “One by one, we are making prettier hair in Nashville.” Ryan handles the day-to-day of the salon while Cassidy is around for big picture stuff.

“She has three kids and Dierks is always on the road,” Ryan explains. “I am constantly in communication with her. Everything I do, she is the first person I call. She’s very involved as much as she can be. She comes in every week. She’ll bring the kids. We love it when they come in.”

The Dry House - Knox Bentley

Knox Bentley, Photo via @thedryhousenashville on Instagram

Cassidy’s three kids, Evie, JJ and Knox are making business plans of their own.

“They already have plans to work here when they get in high school,” Ryan reveals. “The daughters know. They have their set roles. Their oldest one, Evie, is like, ‘OK, I’m going to be the coordinator at the front, asking people what they want to drink and getting them checked in.’ And then JJ the middle one, she’s four, is like, ‘Well, I’m just going to do hair.’ Meanwhile, they’re really just going to be sweeping the floor and folding the towels. We let them dream.”

The Dry House - Tyler Hubbard Wedding

Tyler and Hayley Hubbard, Photo via @thevoguetrip on Instagram

Ryan and her crew have been involved in several high profile events, including Florida Georgia Line member Tyler Hubbard’s wedding to Hayley Stommel in the summer.

“I had been working with Hayley for a couple of months and she was like, ‘I would be honored if you would…’ And I started crying,” Ryan recalls. “I was like, ‘Of course, I want to do your wedding.’ She said, ‘I feel like I’ll look beautiful no matter what you do to me. … I knew if I wasn’t even looking in the mirror I could turn around and love it.'”

Of course things changed slightly on the day. “I ended up doing Tyler’s hair,” Ryan adds. “He decided to wear a man-bun, which was like a surprise thing. No one thought he’d wear his hair up.”

According to Ryan the key to successful wedding hair, for bride and stylist, is “really good communication before the wedding day.”

Jake Owen, Photo via @thedryhousenashville on Instagram

Jake Owen, Photo via @thedryhousenashville on Instagram

Ryan was also a part of one the biggest hair upsets in recent history, when Jake Owen cut his long locks for a more conservative ‘do.

“He’d been talking about it for a little while,” Ryan remembers. “I was like, ‘Dude, I’ve only been cutting your hair for a little while. I’m going to be stalked in a parking lot by a crazy fan that is going to hate me. I need to give it a little more time.’ He wanted to cut it before the tour was over and I was like, ‘I wouldn’t do it until after the tour. People who are coming to the show specifically love your hair.’ Then he came in and was like, ‘Let’s do it.'”

The result made waves among fans, but to date Ryan hasn’t been met in a dark alley by an upset fan.

The Dry House - Jason Aldean

Ali Ryan & Dry House Employees with Brittany and Jason Aldean, Photo via @thedryhousenashville on Instagram

Ryan and the Dry House continue make a statement in the fashion side of country music. The salon recently hosted a makeup tutorial by Jason Aldean’s wife, Brittany Kerr.

It’s safe to say the Dry House will continue to further the brand of country singer’s for years to come.

The Dry House is located at 2104 Crestmoor Rd in Nashville. To make a appointment, call (615) 678-7064.