1.) We’re happy to be speaking today with celebrated singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Wayne; greetings and salutations, Ryan! Before we dive down the proverbial Q&A rabbit hole, how have the final weeks of 2022 been treating you?

First, thanks for taking the time to listen and to reach out. The final weeks of 2022 were about as swell as they come. My family and I traveled to Samara, a beautiful little town on the West coast of Costa Rica. We spent two weeks hiking, riding horses, feasting, swimming in the ocean, surfing, and relaxing. Downtime allowed for lots of songwriting and reading as well. Beachside, I finished reading David McPherson’s satisfying book on the history of The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern and tore a respectable chunk off Haruki Murakami’s, IQ84. 

2.) Congratulations on the powerful and ultimately uplifitng new single Wherever You Land! Can you give readers the genesis of this tune, how it came into being?

“Wherever You Land” started as a hypothetical farewell letter to the late great John Prine. This was in the days following his death, early on in the pandemic. I recall taking out the garbage in the cluttered alleyway between our place and the next and being startled by a shirtless neighbor smoking, shouting down some kind of neighborly hello from his fire escape. A gentle snow was falling, somewhat rare for April, and a blackbird was perched in the bumbleberry tree in our backyard. Back inside my place, this experience influenced the letter which quickly became a song (in 4/4 at first, but eventually a waltz), ultimately about finding a soft landing place beyond the grave, wherever that might be. It also became a reflection on mental health and resilience during the pandemic — both a lament and a rallying cry. 

3.) Obviously we can’t talk about Wherever You Land without talking about the nigh

legendary and much missed John Prine. Did you feel John at your shoulder as you crafted and shaped Wherever You Land?

I have often felt John Prine at my shoulder when writing songs, a friendly whisperer of sorts, though this time he was more distant — I think I was shouting to him, hoping for a response, a response which came through his Music (on repeat for a while after his passing). For instance, Prine sang of a “hundred thousand blackbirds” in his song, Everything Is Cool. The blackbird imagery in Wherever You Land was sparked both by his song and the backyard episode discussed above. Further, In Prine’s song, “Paradise”, he remembers fondly the beauty and childhood innocence he found on the banks of the Green River. I think “Wherever You Land” imagines him landing in such a place, now. The chorus of “Wherever You Land” is a direct nod to this. 

4.) How is Wherever You Land different than most of the other music which can be found on the 2022 music landscape?

I’m not sure I’m breaking any new ground here. If anything, I might be going back in time, using mostly real instruments and trying to capture something that could just as easily be played around a campfire with friends and family.  

5.) Who was your producer on Wherever You Land and what did collaboration between the two of you look like in the studio?

Initially, Wherever You Land was self-produced, along with much of the record, though I must give considerable credit to Malcolm Burn. I looked to Malcolm to mix the album, mostly due to a complete admiration of his work. Albums Malcolm has produced and/or mixed (the list is long), such as Red Dirt Girl by Emmylou Harris, are some of my favorite records, sonically, as are his recording/mixing collaborations with Daniel Lanois. I spent five days at Malcolm’s studio in New York State, last summer, with what I thought were completed songs. However, what started as a mixing project eventually led to some additional production work and instrumentation as well. His creative input and mixes truly transformed the songs. The whole thing felt very organic and it was so nice to do it in person after the lockdowns. 

6.) Can you introduce us to some of the other very talented folks who contributed musically to make Wherever You Land into a reality?

I’d love to. 

Brian Kobayakawa is a truly talented and accomplished bassist, songwriter, and producer (He releases his own work as Brava Kilo–amazing stuff–highly recommended). Brian has been a great friend and collaborator (and goaltender). We went on a lot of hikes together during the pandemic and bounced musical ideas off of one another, amongst other things. Brian produced and co-wrote one of the tracks on the record as well (for future release). On Wherever You Land, Brian plays bass guitar. 

Kelley McCrae is an Austin-based singer-songwriter. She and her partner make some really great records. I love her voice and was thrilled with the harmony vocals she contributed. At the end of “Wherever You Land” she did some hauntingly beautiful adlibs that ended up making the final mix. Kelley sings on six songs in all.

Finally, a shout-out to Joao Carvalho who mastered the track and the album. We worked with him in the past and I was thrilled to reconnect for this project.

7.) Has throwing yourself back into music been a balm for your soul after your own health issues earlier in the year?

A balm for my soul is one way of putting it, though at times it feels like a tiger balm, trying to navigate an entirely different distribution and publicity landscape than the one I left behind, several years back. I have been writing and producing all along, though it was more of a background activity in recent years. After suffering two strokes in March my priorities shifted pretty drastically. It became clear to me that music should be a big part of my life again. Fortunately, within a couple months of suffering the strokes, I was able to start working, a little bit at a time. It’s a slower process than it used to be, but things continue to improve, health-wise, and the pleasure is greater than ever. 

8.) What do you hope listeners walk away with after playing Wherever You Land?

This song, in particular, started as a letter intended to help me understand and process the passing of a song-writing hero. A big part of that journey involved facing my own mortality and learning to accept that I am not exempt from the fates of illness or death. Perhaps some listeners may reflect on such things, or find their own meaning. Grateful for anyone that takes the time to listen. 

9.) What can you tell fans about your upcoming 2023 LP Crow Amongst the Sparrows?

The full album will be released in late May and I’ve started working on the follow-up. It was a pleasure to make, I was blessed to work with some incredible people and friends, and I hope it resonates with others. There are 8 songs in all and I even had the pleasure of my oldest daughter joining me for a song (She was 10 at the time). 

10.) As a singer and songwriter, which comes first for you – The music or the lyrics?

I don’t have a clear path. With a family and a job, I’ve always found that I have to be creative with my time, so, if the opportunity arrives without an instrument on hand, I’ll usually look to write some poetry or throw some stream-of-consciousness ideas down on paper. These are often the seeds of future song lyrics. I also try to keep a bank of musical ideas in my voice recorder on my phone, usually composed on acoustic guitar with some kind of mumbled melody. Often, I end up melding things together–lyrics from one day and music/melody from another. They sort of “find” each other and then with some massaging make their way to completion. I think ADHD helps me take advantage of short stints of time. The strokes have also impacted my mental stamina. But, a whole bunch of 15-20 minute writing chunks start to add up over time. Home production certainly helps facilitate this piecemeal approach.

11.) Who inspires you musically?

I was always drawn to songwriters. Early on in life it was my family–my father wrote songs, my uncles and aunts all sang around the kitchen table or campfire, my grandmother played, also many of my cousins play and write. I played in a band with my cousin Dave McEathron (The Warped 45s). He was definitely an early influence on my songwriting and is still making great music. Another cousin who goes by the performing name Siydock is putting out some really clever stuff as well. Highly original. Those campfire jams introduced me to artists I am still inspired by, today: John Prine, Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, Gordon Lightfoot, Kris Kristofferson, Townes Van Zandt, and Neil Young. Other artists that have been influential include Yo La Tengo, Sinead O’Connor, Stevie Wonder, Leonard Cohen, most hip hop from the early-mid nineties, Beck, Wilco, Bjork, Sharon Von Etten, The Beta Band, LCD Soundsystem, Drive-By Truckers, Belle and Sebastian, Brittany Howard, Sufjan Stevens, Nils Frahm, Miles, Coltrane… There are many local artists and friends that continue to inspire as well: Justin Rutledge, Hayden, Dan Mangan, Selina Martin, Annelise Noronha, Brava Kilo, Great Lake Swimmers, Dave Celia, Kathleen Edwards, Rheostatics, Timbre Timbre, Skydiggers, The Weather Station, Doug Paisley, Bahamas (so many– ask me in a month and I’m sure it would shuffle). 

12.) Final – SILLY! – Question: Favorite movie about the music scene – This Is Spinal Tap, Walk the Line, The Thing Called Love or Almost Famous?

My film knowledge is second-rate, but if “The Last Waltz” counts, then I suppose I’ve spent more time with that film than any other. When I was younger, I used to leave it in a DVD player and hit play every time I did housework–the perfect soundtrack for dusting. I would have loved to see The Band perform. Fortunately my wife, Sarah, and I caught Levon Helm at Massey Hall shortly before he passed. Lucinda Williams opened and sang “The Weight” with him as an encore.