I was born in Ashland, Oregon, to a singer-songwriter mother and a visual artist father. Some of my earliest memories are of my mom singing me bedtime songs with her guitar, which sparked my love for music at a young age. By the time I was seven, I had started playing violin and singing in choirs, which gave me a foundation in music theory. When my family later moved from the west coast to Tennessee, I was exposed to even more music, especially through my mom’s recording sessions as a country and folk songwriter. Watching her work in the studio planted the seeds of my passion for creating and performing music. My first experience in a recording studio was singing background vocals on one of her albums.
As a teenager, I swapped the violin for a guitar and began exploring every genre of music I could get my hands on. From classic rock and grunge to hip-hop, folk, and blues, I listened to everything—Neil Young, Pearl Jam, Tori Amos, RL Burnside, Tool, Richard Buckner, Massive Attack, Soundgarden, Jimi Hendricks, Radiohead, Run DMC, and so many more. My first attempts at songwriting were pretty clumsy, but over time I started to develop my own voice. By the age of 16, writing songs had become a daily ritual, and I was slowly building a body of work that reflected the diverse influences that shaped my sound.
After high school, I moved back to Oregon, where I began performing more regularly and experimenting with recording my own music. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of fronting several bands and working on a variety of projects. To date, I’ve written, recorded, and produced 10 full-length studio albums, along with EPs and singles, not only for myself but for other artists as well. Recording and production have become as much a part of my creative identity as performing. I've had the opportunity to share the bill with some great artists like Vanessa Carlton, Donavon Frankenreiter, Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, and many great songwriters and performers. The subculture of the "indie musician" is a wild and very expansive beast. There are many lovely writers and artists out there that I have had the privilege of playing with, and many of them appear in my various projects. These days, I split my musical time between writing, producing, and touring to share my music with people across the U.S. and abroad. During the academic year, my wife and I both focus on our teaching careers, and in the summers we both pursue our artistic careers. She is a stellar figurative ceramicist, and you can check out her work at www.missmagdag.com. From about April through September we are usually either found out on a trail, in our garden, or in the midst of some art project.
Most of the music I write fits loosely into the categories of indie-folk/Americana or Alternative Rock. My folk project is called The Secret Trails, and it's a collaborative singer-songwriter outfit I have been performing in with my friend Kim Zunner. Our debut self-titled EP was produced by Ken Coomer, Nashville-based producer and original drummer for the band Wilco. That album has a pretty awesome cast of musicians on it, including Dave Jaques, who was John Prine's bassist for years. We were amped to share the EP; the song "Midnight Romeo" was given an honorable mention in a songwriting competition with American Songwriter magazine. Our live shows have been performed as a duo, but sometimes we get more musicians involved, like when we held a release party for the EP and gathered a full band.
One of my biggest influences when I began writing songs was the entire grunge rock phenomenon. Having spent most of my childhood in Oregon, the proximity to the Seattle scene was a major presence in my youth. That form of edgy, aggressive, energetic rock is something I have a soft spot for. My rock band is called The Brighter Still, and it's been a revolving cast of characters over the years. It's always a blast to play these songs, though, no matter who ends up playing with me.
In addition to music, I’ve always had a love for storytelling and visual art. I hold degrees in Film and Media Studies and English, which have helped me create music videos, write short stories, and explore other creative outlets like photography and poetry. Teaching English at the college level is another way I stay connected to the world of ideas and creativity, and it’s something I find very rewarding. No matter the medium—music, words, or visuals—my goal is to connect with people and share something meaningful.
Thanks for stopping by to check out my site; I hope you have a look around. You can hear music here and see videos I have made over the years for my music. I would be psyched if you signed up for the email newsletter. It’s a great way to keep in touch and let people know about shows and new music releases as well as share new videos. You can also find me and my music on social media and most streaming platforms. Independent artists couldn’t do what we do without you awesome fans and supporters and friends that fuel us along, so thank you for supporting the arts.
See you down the trail,
RDO
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Some awards and press over the years:
Best Folk Album International – Toronto Exclusive Magazine (2007)
Finalist – Song of the Year songwriting competition
Runner-up – Song of the Year songwriting competition
Best Music Video – Show Low Film Festival (2018)
3rd place in the Show Low Battle of the Bands and Vans w/The Brighter Still (2018)
Best Music Video - White Mountains Film Festival (2022)
Best Music Video - Switzerland International Film Festival
2nd place in the Show Low Battle of the Bands and Vans w/The Brighter Still (2024)
Honorable Mention - American Songwriter Lyric Competition
Finalist in the Songwriting Competition at the Tucson Folk Festival
"...have you ever thought to yourself—“are there any artists who exist today, that exemplify the brilliance of Dylan, the story telling of Jim Croce, the organics of Gordon Lightfoot, the spirit of Cat Stevens and the songwriting magic of Simon & Garfunkel?” … yeah, me too. Enter Ryan David Orr"
-Goldmine Magazine
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"Great, distinctive voice...worthy of top marks"
-Stuart Epps, producer (Oasis, Elton John, Led Zeppelin)
"Ryan David Orr is a lyricist of the highest order"
-ComeHereFloyd music blog
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"Tender, powerful songwriting...."
-John Popper, Blues Traveler
"Intimate vocals, hypnotic song structures, lush instrumentation and some modern production make his music stand out from other songwriters"
-Tucson Weekly
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"A force to be reckoned with in this music world"
-Skope Magazine
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"Orr is undoubtedly an artist worth paying attention to"
-EDM Rekords
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"Ryan David Orr has a warm, beautiful voice with which he intimates feelings
of sorrow or joy..."
-Rootstime Magazine (Belgium)
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