He's the guy who captured everyone's attention on tour with Dan + Shay.
The guy who tells stories and captures moments with his tone, lyrics, and energy.
He's the guy behind one of the best EP's of the summer.
HE IS RYAN LAFFERTY.
Age
28
Hometown || Currently Live
Man, WV but currently in Nashville, TN
What made you want to start
singing/writing?
I remember laying in bed at night as a kid and
sneaking to listen to music and dreaming of being the guy on stage, and
somewhere at my parents house is a box of songs I would write at night. They
are terrible and let’s all hope they’re never found haha It’s just kind of
always been in my blood, but it was probably sophomore year of college before I
realized it was something I could chase as a career
Do you play any instruments? Did you
teach yourself?
I play guitar and piano. Self taught on YouTube
haha. I had lot’s of help along the way by watching friends who were better
than me
Who are your biggest musical
inspirations?
Keith Urban, John Mayer, Ryan Tedder, and Justin
Timberlake
Where do you get inspiration to
write?
I think the best songs are always true. I try to
pull from my own experiences and the experiences of friends as much as
possible.
Do you have a favorite song that
you’ve written or co-written?
My current favorite is “Out of the Picture” but
this changes weekly. All my songs are like my kids haha It’s really hard to
pick a favorite
What moment in your career is your
favorite thus far?
My High School alma mater used my song as their prom song about 4 years ago, and that was pretty awesome. That night also
happened to be my first date with my wife!
Finish this sentence, If I could
write a song for or with anyone I would choose….?
I’ve actually had the pleasure to write with a lot
of my writing heroes. But I would still love to write with Ryan Tedder and
Keith Urban!
If I could sing a song with anyone I
would choose….?
Carrie Underwood, Adele, or Ariana Grande!
Where do you see yourself in a year?
Hopefully touring with a first single on the
radio!! I dream big ; p
If I wasn’t a singer/songwriter I would
be…?
A teacher and a baseball coach!
I’m afraid of…?
Bears. I will kill a bear in season or out of
season. It’s faster than me and can climb the tree I’m in. I won’t take any chances!
lol
I never get tired of…?
Pepperoni, pepper jack cheese, and crackers
What is one thing people may not know
about you?
I loaded trucks at 4am at UPS when I first moved to
Nashville, so I would have time to write during the days.
I would like to know the process of getting this
EP out. Has it been a whirlwind or a long process?
Both! haha In some ways it's been a whirlwind because once we
decided in February that it was time to move forward with the EP there was so
much to do to get the recordings ready, but also everything else that comes
with that like Album Artwork, website, picking the right songs, and a lot more.
But in a lot of ways it was also a long process. I have been writing for two
years for myself and other artists, and just chipping away and honing in on my
sound. It was great to have that time to really work on that, and in return I
have an EP that I couldn't be more proud of....
How did you pick the final 6 songs?
I meet with my producer's Jeff Stevens and Jody Stevens
regularly to play them songs that I have been writing, and get their opinions
on which one's we like best. So we are always sorting them out and thinning the
herd. These 6 songs imparticular just kind of always refused to go away-- they
really showcase how I want people to hear me as an artist, they also showcase
what I do differently within country music, and they translate perfectly into
my current live show which was a big deal as well. We have more songs in the
hopper that we are excited to put on the full album, so we haven't let ALL the
cats out of the bag just yet. : )
Which song looks like it could be a single?
This is a current conversation we are having. If it were going
to radio today it would be "Close To You" but that could always
change between now and then.
Radio tour? Future?
Exciting things are in
the works to make sure we get the EP out there for people to hear. We'll head out on a radio tour once things unfold a bit
more, but for now I'm staying busy working on the rest of the album and
touring!
Ryan sums up his debut EP best in his song What The Night Might Bring…
"the kind of feelin' rushin' through your veins that you just can't explain. And it won't go away"
These six tracks will flow through your veins, flutter your heart, and make your toes tap for weeks.
Trust me, I'm still riding this music high.
HEAR RYAN'S DEBUT EP HERE: