We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Deb Ryder. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Deb below.

Deb, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I have been a singer/songwriter my entire life and have performed on numerous national commercials, Las Vegas shows, countless demos and television and motion picture scores. One day I turned to my husband bassist Ric Ryder and said “ you know, everyone knows my voice, but no one knows it’s me singing”. He said “well, we’ll make a CD” but he believed so strongly in my writing and singing abilities that he insisted we only record my original tunes”. We created our first record together “Might Just Get Lucky” and released it in 2013. This was for me a huge life changing risk as I was coming out not only as a solo artist but also debuting my own original material at a later point in my life and career. Fortunately the record was a great success and received chart topping acclaim and award nominations which is unusual for a first release. We have since released five additional records and have had great success. My message is believe in yourself and your talents because it’s never too late to take a risk.

Deb, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have been performing since I was a child with my father, Al Swanson who was a successful singer in Chicago. He would bring me up on stage at the clubs and restaurants he worked for and we would do a few father daughter duets and show tunes. It was later in my early teens that I became serious about becoming a professional musical artist. My mother and step father opened the famous and iconic blues and rock club the Topanga Corral located in Topanga, California. We lived directly behind the club and I would go nightly to see the best and most famous that played there, acts like Etta James, Big Joe Turner, Taj Mahal, Neil Young, Canned Heat. I learned everything about performance, writing, musical style from that period of my life, and many of the above mentioned artists mentored me. I knew this was what I wanted to do, who I wanted to become. I picked up the guitar and began performing between acts at the club when I was 14.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I joined the Roger Wagner Chorale at UCLA my freshman year as a coloratura soprano and performed on campus as well at all the major theaters in Los Angeles including the Mark Taper Forum. I studied and became a trained opera singer and felt at that time I should change directions and pursue a career in classical music. It was an incredibly exciting time and I toured quite a bit with some major companies but it was a very different world and deep down, I longed to get back to my roots in Blues Music. I met my husband bassist Ric Ryder and we formed a blues band called The Blues Ryders in the late 70’s. It was meant to be and just like that the road took another turn.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I absolutely love the people! It’s been said that blues fans are a family and it’s so true! Music can uplift, heal, transform you and take you to another place. Getting to share this with others is such a gift. Earning their respect and support is everything.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://debryder.com
• Instagram: debrydermusic
• Other: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deb_Ryder

Image Credits

Moses Sparks
Jacki Sackheim