Long before she released Girl Going Nowhere, singer-songwriter Ashley McBryde started getting tattoos. A quick glance at the artist will show that she's covered in ink, ranging from a flowery teacup that's dedicated to her mother to a classic 1971 Chevy to ... well, this list could go on for quite a while.

Curious about the meanings behind McBryde's tattoos? Read on to learn more about her ink, including her favorite tattoo and the one she regrets the most.

Nancy Miller Is McBryde's Favorite Tattoo Artist

When she's craving new ink, McBryde heads to Nancy Miller at Main Street Tattoo. She says she trusts Miller to just let her creativity flow and create designs like the sunglasses-and-lipstick ink that McBryde got to commemorate her song "American Scandal."

Her Eagle Chest Piece Takes Its Inspiration From Sailor Lore

McBryde's tattoos are all done in the traditional sailor style, and, as she explains, "when sailors would reach a certain mileage or markers crossed, that warranted a tattoo." The singer wanted something that would mark her career move to the big time, so she asked Miller for her thoughts.

"I asked [Miller] if there was anything she thought I’d earned before I jumped off this cliff," McBryde recalls, "and she told me, 'You’ve earned an eagle.'”

Now, McBryde says, that eagle tattoo — and the meaning behind it — has become her favorite.

McBryde Got That Eagle Tattoo to Psych Herself Up for Red Carpet Walks

"When I started doing things on this level and had to start thinking about walking on red carpets and wearing formal crap, I was thinking, 'How am I gonna stomach this?,'" McBryde shares in an interview with The Boot. "I know I should have probably just bought a necklace, but every tattoo on me corresponds to a story, event in my life or a song ...

"If you’ve ever been in a bar with a bunch of old sailors and see a guy that has an eagle tattooed across his chest, that guy has seen some stuff," she continues. "I thought that was perfect -- that’s exactly how I need to feel. I’m so uncomfortable at red carpets, so this is kind of like a power thing for me."

Her Least-Favorite Tattoo Is ... a "Tramp Stamp"!

In an interview on radio show Ty, Kelly and Chuck, McBryde revealed her least-favorite, most-regretted tattoo ... and (in her own words) it's "really ugly!"

"It's a fat baby devil in a bikini, and it's a tramp stamp," she told the hosts. "I was 18 years old, it was my 'I'm out of the house, I can do what I want' tattoo, and even the tattoo artist was like, 'Are you sure? Are you sure?' And I was like, 'Yeah, put it on there.' And I was sober."

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