Ryan

Ryan graduated from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee USA. After graduation, he toured the eastern US with Swing and Traditional Jazz bands. During University he majored in Guitar Performance with a minor in Songwriting. During his time touring with various traditional jazz bands he was exposed to a variety of American musical styles including Jazz from New Orleans, Chicago, and New York; Blues from Texas, St. Louis, and Memphis; Country/Bluegrass in Nashville, Kentucky, and the Carolinas; and lots of blended sounds along the way. He believes that all styles of music are rooted in the same fundamentals. As Duke Ellington said, “There are two kinds of music. Good music, and the other kind.”

 

He also worked as a house musician in The Grand Hotel Orchestra on Mackinac Island, Michigan under the direction of saxophonist Dr. Alex Graham. During this time, he developed a large finger-style solo-guitar repertoire and performed a variety of pop and jazz classics with the orchestra. He decided to relocate to Tokyo to pursue interests in language, culture, and of course, music. The American Guitar Academy is proud to have him as part of our team!