Ryan David Orr is an American singer songwriter who makes thoughtful music for a thoughtless age and on his single How Long his sweet and soulful melodies are elevated by lush instrumentation which sounds like a drive from the Pacific Northwest to the South and back. The way he delivers his imagery-laden lyrics through his deep baritone harkens back to Nick Drake while remaining modern and imaginative enough to call forth the influence of The National and Iron & Wine.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Hello Ryan David Orr. What is life like in the United States? Would you change this country for another?
Well, lately the US has seemed a bit divided philosophically, but I do still love it. I live in the southwestern region, and the geography is amazing. I am originally from Oregon and spent a lot of my younger life in the Pacific Northwest, though, so I have always loved the lush, green climates. There are certainly some places I have visited that I could live, like Edinburgh, or Bern, Switzerland.
What made you take up music?
My mother got me started in playing violin when I was about 7 years old. Then, over the years, I switched instruments and got interested in rock band stuff, like guitars and drums. I sort of surrounded myself with music throughout my life, so there was a logical progression into creating and writing once I was proficient in a few instruments.
Your latest track is 'How Long'. Can you share with us the background of its creation and did any unusual things happen during its creation?
I actually wrote this song a few years ago and would perform it with a 5-piece rock band that I wrote the material for. We had fun playing the song, but more recently I decided to turn it into a more organic groove track, which is the version you hear now. My favorite part about creating the current version was purchasing a mini-Cry Baby to play the wah-wah guitar parts. I hadn't really messed around with that pedal before, and running a Fender American Standard Telecaster through that pedal and into my Orange 2x10 amp was sort of a match made in heaven. All the parts of the song were recorded at different times due to musicians' schedules, and my bassist recorded his part remotely from where he lives, about 3 hours away from me.
How do you deal with the pressure that is put on artists by fans, promoters etc.?
I think the main way that I try to balance everything is to set myself schedules or plans as far as posting content, spacing out track releases, and curating my newsletter. Honestly, I think I probably put more pressure on myself than others do. It's always a challenge to manage the work/life balance. Slowing down sometimes and just breathing is a good idea:)
How do you spend your time?
I like to be busy with good, productive things. I spend part of my time in the studio or creating and writing, but I also spend time at home doing things like gardening, reading, working on other writing projects, hiking, traveling. I teach English at a college near where I live, so I spend a lot of time with that as well. Between all that I try to consistently set up and play shows.
What are you most proud of?
That's hard to say, but I think I might be most proud of continuing to grow my musical career and improve my sound while being so busy with other things. I have been doing this for many years now, and I have a number of friends who played music for a while and then tapped out to start families or change careers. I don't fault them for that, but my passion for creating art has propelled me to always be striving for more int he music world.
What advice do you have for beginning artists?
I guess I would tell them to not forget what's real in the world. I think it can be hard to maintain perspective while trying to promote yourself and your art. It is easy to lose sight of the things that truly nurture your soul, so don't forget your humanity.
What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as an artist?
I have been involving more people in my process, and this has been a huge benefit. In the past, I have tried to stay motivated to do things myself, and this can get exhausting, so finding good people that can appreciate what I do and create has been an asset, whether that means musicians, studio engineers, PR people, or other artists.
Do you think that technology is improving lives?
Yes, I do think technology is improving lives. I don't think it is only improving lives, but I think technology is like most tools - how you use it determines how much it benefits you. I think we are starting to see our human connection come full circle. Whereas a few years ago technology may have seemed to separate us, I believe we are returning to a social climate in which people are tired of feeling disconnected and want to use technology differently. I think that throughout time, as technological advancements have been made, there have always been growing pains.
Is there anything you would like to say to your fans?
As always, thank you for supporting my music and for supporting the independent arts. We couldn't be successful without you. You can find my latest single "How Long" on all streaming platforms, and you can check out my most recent full-length album by going to www.RyanDavidOrr.com!