When Ashley Selzer was a pony-tailed little girl growing up in the 1980s, she’d board the school bus daily to get dropped off at a “home” much different from her fellow riders.
“The big yellow bus would bring me right to the front gates of Silver Dollar City,” she smiles. “Security and everyone knew me and made sure I got in okay.
Those were different times then—simpler times, Ashley says. Her daddy, D.A. Callaway, was a bit of a legend in these parts, playin’ with the River Rats Dixieland band at the park ever since she was three years old. To Ashley, Silver Dollar City was like a second home. After school, she'd hang out with the grown-ups, sing along with the Homestead Pickers, get plenty of sweets from Aunt June Ward and ride all the rides she wanted. “I sure felt blessed to have such a special childhood,” she says with a warm smile.
As she got older, Ashley remembers singing hymns at the Wilderness Church with Mrs. Linda and learning to square dance. “Everyone knew me, and I got to be a part of The City in so many ways.”
She even helped behind the scenes, serving sodas at The Saloon and assisting the sound technician, Bill Bailey. “Afterward, I’d nap on the cot behind the sound booth. Dad would come running to find me because I’d missed check-in, and there I was, fast asleep on that cot!”
Ashley jokes that she felt like an employee long before she officially became one. At 14, she landed her first job at the park, performing as characters like Cat in the Hat and Mazie Daisy at Red Gold Heritage Hall. Over the years, she’s also worked as an usher at several theaters around the park. “I’ve always enjoyed dressing up and entertaining people. It’s my mission to help them forget they are waiting in a line.”
After taking a break when her husband joined the Army and they started their family, Ashley is back doing what she loves. Now, she’s ushering at the Riverfront Playhouse for the Spoken 4 Quartet. “I’ve seen so much change over the years, but I’ve met the most wonderful people,” she says, her eyes filling with emotion. “I love being an usher because I get to share God’s love with people. It’s such a joy!”
Ashley’s heart is full of happiness. As she greets guests at the Playhouse, she’s always singing, dancing and entertaining. “I get to share Jesus and the Holy Spirit every day. It’s so fulfilling.”
She’s proud to follow in her dad’s footsteps by spreading joy and encouragement. She smiles fondly as she talks about him. “My nickname should be ‘D.A.D. —D.A.’s Daughter! My dad is amazing. He can play so many instruments, and is the best grandpa.”
Ashley gets choked up thinking about what she calls the “blessing of a second home.”
“This is the last stop for me,” she says. “I feel like I can truly be myself here. How blessed am I to make a living at my second home? My main goal is to keep our guests informed and share the love of Jesus with them. I’m so blessed by this opportunity and can’t wait for the 2025 season to start!”
As Public Relations Manager for the Silver Dollar City Company, she is eager to tap into her journalism background to hunt down “heart tugs” to write about—those stories that celebrate…
