3 Little Birds and 200 Cows: The Early Days of Ella Langley

Before Ella Langley was rocking stages across the country, her first audience was a little more... rural. Growing up on a farm in Hope Hull, AL, Langley used to climb into the barn and sing to about 200 cows. It was her version of the Grand Ole Opry, and those cows were her first fans.

Langley’s musical story started even earlier, thanks to her grandmother. Hoping to spark a lifelong passion, her grandma signed her up for piano lessons. But reading sheet music turned out to be a challenge, and young Ella eventually gave it up. Looking back, it’s one of her biggest regrets, but the musical spark clearly never went out.

An emotional moment in Langley’s early life came when her beloved grandfather passed away when she was just 13. Before he died, he left her his old guitar. Determined to play it, Langley taught herself to strum and sing. The first song she learned was Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds,” a fitting tribute to the man who inspired her love of music.

Those humble beginnings helped shape the gritty, soulful artist fans know today. From serenading cows in Alabama to opening for country legends, Ella Langley’s story proves that talent and heart can grow in the most unexpected places.