Ryan McIntyre's music career began at age 13 when he first picked up a guitar, doing his best to work out the chords of his favorite tunes. He had already written several songs with catchy lyrics and melodies prior to striking that initial shaky chord. He could hardly foresee that some of those early melodies would eventually mold a style that is exclusively Ryan McIntyre.
As a fourth generation musician, Ryan enjoyed a heavy dose of music at an early age. "From as early as I can remember, music has been a part of my life. From my grandpa's accordion, to my uncle's folk songs, and even to four part harmony renditions of 'Happy Birthday,' music has been the norm in my life, not the exception."
Family influence pushed Ryan toward the sounds of James Taylor, The Beach Boys, Dan Fogelberg, and The Beatles. Careful to find his own sound, Ryan strives to write music that falls somewhere between these artists.
"Most songwriters look at their craft a little bit differently than the next writer. When I write a song, it feels like the initial stages of a relationship. I get those 'butterflies' everyone talks about. The writing process feels like the first date. I'm trying to lay it all on the line with the hopes to impress. I can't wait to introduce it to my friends, but I'm nervous about what they'll think."
Ryan's songs found a home when he and four high school friends formed the band EXIT in the fall of 1996. Ryan became the front man, and led the band to its eighth year in 2004. Along the way, EXIT racked up noteworthy credentials while capturing the ears of Wisconsin's music scene.
In a five-year span, EXIT swiftly piled up 15 Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) nominations and won six awards: Best New Band, People's Choice Favorite as Band, three Adult/Contemporary Group of the Yearsand the most coveted Group of the Year awarded in 2004.
Despite their success, EXIT decided to part ways to pursue separate music careers. "As crazy as it sounds, leaving the band as Group of the Year was a good time to say goodbye." Ryan is ready to lunge forward onto a new musical path with limitless opportunities.
While EXIT received positive feedback during its run, Ryan's solo accomplishments have not gone without notice. In 2005 he won the WAMI as Male Vocalist of the Year and was a 2004 finalist in the USA Songwriting Competiton.
Ryan now faces an entirely new chapter in his career. Though his album is still in the works, Ryan is a veteran of the live circuit, playing an average of 120 shows per year throughout the Midwest. Along the way, he's been dubbed "The Human Jukebox" - expertly reciting nearly any request thrown his way.
Despite this versatility, Ryan prefers spending stage time with original works, performing with the voice of James Taylor and the hooks of Paul McCartney. Though the story drives his music, his guitar and melody weave the tales as clearly as his lyrics. Ryan claims the stage like a star but intimately targets each member of the audience. And that's the force that has helped him build a solid following throughout his musical tenure.
Nominations and Awards:
* Winner WAMI Male Vocalist of the Year (2005)
* Winner WAMI Pop Group of the Year (2002, 2004, 2005)
* USA Songwriting Competition Finalist (2004)
* Winner WAMI Group of the Year (2004)
* Winner WAMI People's Choice as "Favorite Band" in Wisconsin (2002)
* Winner WAMI New Band of the Year (2000)
* Nominee WAMI Male Vocalist of the Year (2003, 2004)
* Nominee WAMI Song of the Year (2003, 2004)
Fast Facts:
* Sold more than 10,000 CDs as an independent, unsigned artist
* Over 100,000 downloads worldwide on the Kazaa Media Desktop system
* "Sixty Miles" was featured on the Discovery Channel Kids show "Outward Bound" (2002)
* "You Drive Me Wild" and "The Sidewalk" are featured in the 2000 motion picture "Big Brother Trouble," which also received heavy rotation on HBO, Showtime and The Disney Channel
* More than 120 shows per year are performed on college campuses, in the best clubs and at the biggest festivals throughout the Midwest
Industry Quotes:
"Great Songs. Period" -- Not Lame Records
"...super-accessible pop-rock sound... Think Barenaked Ladies, They Might Be Giants and early Beatles." -- Gemma Tarlach, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
"...crisp, clear lyrics that are accompanied by uplifting guitar riffs that scream pure positivity." -- Brian O'Shea, OnMilwaukee.com
"This, their 2nd release, justifys the accolades and multiple WAMI awards they have won in the pop music category." -- Steve Cohen, BluesCDs.com
"This is a great album by a band that should be more than "up-and-coming" in the music world." -- Don Wadewitz, WisconsinJukebox.com Listed as Hot in 2004 by the writers at OnMilwaukee.com
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