We recently connected with Patrick Ryan and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Patrick thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you recount a story of an unexpected problem you’ve faced along the way?
Never Trust a Rental Car Agency….
We had an out of town gig lined up last summer with my full band. I reserved a van from a local rental agency the week before & told the members of my band to meet me close by where they can leave their cars for the day and we would make the 4 hour drive together.
That morning I arrived at the rental agency and was informed that they had given all their vans out and wouldn’t be able to fulfill my reservation. No explaination or solution was offered and I was pretty much up the creek without a paddle (or vehicle!).
With the clock ticking and very little options I met the band at the parking lot driving my 2008 Honda Accord and broke the bad news, hoping to figure out how to get 4 people and all our gear 300 miles to make the show on time. Nobody was happy, but we professionals and the show must go on.
After a frustrated discussion with the band, we decided to pack 4 of us and what gear we could fit into my sedan and begrudglingly hit the road for the show. Thankfully, the venue was equipped with (most of) a house drum set because there was no fitting a bass drum in the car with us.
We made it work, played an excellent show and drove back a lot happier than we felt on the way up there.
Patrick, 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?
My name is Patrick Ryan. I am a full-time, Musician band, leader and songwriter based out of Hampton Roads, Virginia.
Music has always inspired me. Some of my earliest memories are musical. Things like the sounds of Mozart and Vivaldi playing quietly at dinner time, The Who & Pearl Jam playing (no so quietly) in the car with my mom as I sat in the back seat jammin out as hard as a toddler can.
When I was 13, my mother got me an acoustic guitar for Christmas and I immediately began learning music from Led Zeppelin, Muddy Waters, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Beatles, Bob Dylan and others. I took some lessons in high school but I am mostly self taught on the guitar and piano.
I’m a graduate of the Old Dominion University school of business with a double major in marketing and business analytics. During college, I never stopped playing music, but it did take a bit of a backseat to my studies. In 2018, I graduated summa cum laude and took a full-time day job in the advertising industry. Fast forward three years, the pandemic began to turn everything upside down and the company I was working for ended up closing the doors.
Like most people, I found myself with a lot of time on my hands, and had to decide the best way to use it. At the time I had met a few people in the local music scene who inspired me to approach music from a different perspective – as a business that can be profitable if done right.
So, using my business background and my love for music, I put together a list of cover songs, my business plan, marketing plan, venue contacts and started looking for people that I would be interested in performing with once things opened back up.
Fast forward another three years, Music has been my source of full-time income since the pandemic. Having a background in business has been an enormous benefit to me as I build my brand, refine the services I offer and even more helpful in identifying opportunities to grow.
I believe that many musicians would benefit from even a basic understanding of business before going into music as a full-time venture.
Conducting yourself professionally is critical to long term success, and let’s face it, as musicians, “professional” is not an adjective that gets thrown out there often to describe us.
–
Patrick Ryan Music provides entertainment services for audiences across the east coast. This includes live music and Music Bingo.
Live music options include solo, duo and full band performances tailored to your audience. We work hard to create the perfect musical experience for weddings, private parties, festivals and clubs on the east coast.
Music bingo is a fun twist on traditional bingo using snippets of songs instead of numbers to win the game. This is a fun event where guests at many breweries and wineries enjoy playing with friends. Music bingo and open mic nights have been well received and are a great addition to our traditional live music offerings.
–
As a manager of a live band, I like to think that I have three bosses.
Your first boss is the venue – if you’re not delivering on what was promised or negotiated, obviously, the boss isn’t happy and you won’t like the outcome. Listen to your boss and make sure you’ve managed expectations ahead of time.
The second boss is the audience – listen to your second boss. Play to the crowd, keep them there spending money and having a good time. If they want to hear “wagon wheel” and you don’t feel like playing it for the nth time, get over yourself and listen to your boss.
Your third boss is yourself – nobody is going to keep you on track except yourself. Music, like any business, takes a lot of time on the back end doing things like booking, marketing, accounting, etc. Do not overlook this work, it’s necessary if you want to make a living out of this.
I look at being a full time musician through that frame at all times and I believe that’s one of the reasons I’ve been able to set myself apart from others in the industry so far.
We have won local awards for our live shows, open mic nights and contributions to original music in Virginia. I have personally been featured on several local TV and radio programs performing original music and have my first EP in the works for a summer release.
–
I’m extremely proud and grateful to be able to be doing what I love and making a living bringing joy to others through that work.
For booking inquiries connect with Patrick at Patrickryanjams.com or on his social media accounts at @patrickryanjams
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I was playing a small club with the band some years ago. Almost 4 hours into the show, on the last song of the night, the power to the stage overloaded and tripped the breaker. The stage goes dark and you can faintly hear the drummer (on an electric kit at the time) keeping the beat, looking at me for what to do next.
Without missing a beat, I kept strumming my acoustic guitar, came down into the crowd and performed the rest of the song Acoustic with the help of the crowd singing along. Thankfully, most people knew the melody and were happy to be involved given the unexpected ending. The show must go on, no more electric drum kit though!
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
I have a few books that have helped shape the way I live and impacted my approch to entrepreneurship in the arts. I’ve listed them below with a brief takeaway from each.
“As A Man Thinketh” by James Allen
-Because no matter what you set out to do, it begins in the mind. Learning to manage how you think about things builds decisiveness and protects against self-sabatoge.
“7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey
-Begin with the end in mind.
“How To Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie
-Success in business is hard to attain alone. Relationships are everything in business. If you treat others right and build a reputation for doing so, oppertunities will naturally come as the fruit of those relationships.
“The Old Man and The Sea” by Ernest Hemingway
-Resiliance. Seeing a thing through when it’s not going your way. It’s better to be ready than it is to be lucky.
“Miles On Miles: Interviews and Encounters with Miles Davis”
-Find those who are doing what you want to do and set out to learn from them. Hire musicians you would listen to even if they weren’t playing for you.
“The Road Book: A Musician’s Guide” by Jeff Coffin
-This is an excellent resource for musicians who may be looking for a path into touring. Coffin is consice and gives specific steps with examples to get out on the road and not go broke. Highly recommended.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.patrickryanjams.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/patrickryanjams
- Facebook: facebook.com/patrickryanjams
Image Credits
DoArt Photography