wistah 15

@wistah 

  Jan 2014


Artist Bio

Influences:   Gillian Welch, The Milk Carton Kids, The Civil Wars, Sarah Jarosz, R.L. Burnside, Pete Seeger, Willy Tea Taylor, Aaron Embry, Amanda Shires, Jason Isbell, Anais Mitchell, Eddie Vedder, Woody Guthrie, Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams, Willie Nelson

A man of many hats. Old enough to know better, but foolish enough not to care. Playing genre-crossing music in and around New England. My real name is Sean Ryder and I work in Worcester, MA... pronounced "wistah" by the locals. 😀

UPDATE 2/25: Work travel is pulling me away from songwriting and recording. I can't bring a guitar with me to Denver, so if I finish, it will be when I get home on Wednesday 2/28. I may try an a capella song recorded on ipad in hotel room, but truthfully its looking pretty grim. My apologies to collaborators I've let down. I'll do better next year.

This is my fourth FAWM. My goal for this year is to focus on writing songs that I can legitimately pull off as a solo performer. One man with a guitar in front of an audience, no looper. Maybe even releasable as such. As such, I am eschewing multi-tracking, adding bass, harmony vocals, etc. I've set up a handful of mics and I'm recording live performances only. Feedback on arrangements and lyrics is welcome, keeping this mind. Thank you for listening, and thanks for being awesome, FAWM.

Please check out my various and sundry musical doings, and come to a show if you find yourself in Massachusetts:

http://www.seanrydermusic.com
http://www.smithandryder.com
http://www.backyardswagger.com

http://seanryder.bandcamp.com
http://smithandryder.bandcamp.com

http://www.facebook.com/seanrydermusic
http://www.facebook.com/SmithAndRyder
http://www.facebook.com/BackyardSwagg...

Songs (15)

#1 Monsters 24
Feb 2018
#2 Hopes and Dreams 21
Feb 2018
#3 Coffee with Atlas 14
Feb 2018
#4 Angel Wing 25
Feb 2018
#5 Homeless 19
Feb 2018
#6 The Courage 28
Feb 2018
#7 Shinin' 10
Feb 18
#8 Shinin' Redux 10
Feb 18
#9 The Climb @berni1954  11
Feb 22
#10 Turn Away @russiasaturn 8
Feb 24
#11 Give Me Shelter 6
Feb 24
#12 The Way You Make Your Tea 8
Feb 24
#13 I heard it all before 8
Feb 28
#14 The Gentleman Redneck 8
Mar 1
#15 March is Here! 18
Mar 1

Soundboard

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  • @pfoo  Mar 5

    Hey! I have an Eastwood Classic electric tenor. I had intended to play it more this FAWM, but I think I only used it on one song. I only had a few songs, so that's probably why 😏 Maybe next year, or 50/90.

  • @tamsnumber4 Mar 1

    Congrats on your trophy!!

  • @cleanshoes Feb 25

    Maybe sometime down the road we can collaborate, I would love that! As of right now I don't have a website/social media aside from my Soundcloud. It's actually been a very long time since I've focused on music--with very few exceptions no one has heard my original stuff (or really any stuff, for that matter) for probably six-ish years--so I've been a bit overwhelmed by the response I've gotten here (although I'm finding that FAWM is just a very friendly place, overall!). I'll make sure to take note of your contact info, though, and let you know if I get anything else up and running.

  • @pfoo  Feb 25

    Hey - I've got some of the pages of your tenor guitar book pinned up on my wall. I am not having a very productive fawm, but I wanted to let you know that I appreciate you sharing that resource. I have been using it!

  • @cleanshoes Feb 24

    Oh gosh, that is like the best combination of singers I could ever be compared to. Thank you!

  • @berni1954  Feb 22

    I kind of agree with you about the formula for partner's ages. But I have known relationships which functioned, for a while, at least, with far greater age differences.

    Just to give one example when we moved to our new home we got friendly with a local cafe bar owner. She is relatively young, (mid to late 40s perhaps) very vibrant and with lots of get up and go. One day, I bumped into her on the street arm in arm with a tired looking guy in his 70s. The next day I made the classic gaff of asking her if the guy I had seen her with the previous day was her dad. "No, he's my husband!" she replied. The ground refused to swallow me up....
    Since then I have seen them often together and obviously very much in love.

    In the end human relationships are complex, far more complex than our societal norms sometimes allow for.

  • @berni1954  Feb 22

    Just posted the multi-track recording of "The Climb" - Hope you like it.

  • @jibbidy34  Feb 22


    Oh my goodness Dupletarion Warrior you are AWESOME!! You took the time to write 200 comments and listen to all those songs! Thanks for your hefty contribution to our community. You have 200 thank you’s from your fellow FAWMers and from me! Excellent work and keep busting’ those zongs!!

  • @unknownbecky  Feb 22

    Thank you! That makes me feel much less guilty.

  • @hamiltonpoolhall  Feb 21

    Thanks for the comment on "Beyond." Two of my favorite sounds too! Per usual, I'm suckily behind on my listening, but hopefully not for much longer, and this is one of the first places I intend to drop by.

  • @tan482  Feb 21

    I know you're developing solo material (and doing a damn fine job!) but thought I would suggest anyway 😊

  • @tan482  Feb 21

    Thanks for all your wonderful comments on my songs as well as collabs with dani312. I am loving all your creations too.. would you be interested in a collab? 😉

  • @berni1954  Feb 19

    Hi there,

    if I were to come up with lyrics for "Shining Redux", I would never do anything public without consulting you first, don't worry.

    If you don't mind, I would prefer to come up with some lyrics without listening to your original lyrics first. Then I'll give your lyrics a listen. I think you can understand why.

    Cheers,

    Berni
    BTW - can we send private messages here? I'd like to post you my email address, but don't want BOTS swamping my mailbox.

  • @cleanshoes Feb 19

    Oh gosh, thanks again! It's been a long time since I've focused on music, so this has been really cool. Will definitely be trying to do some sort of album in the future.

  • @cleanshoes Feb 18

    Thank you so much for your kind comments!

  • @theseanovan Feb 17

    Thank you for your feedback on "Hit Me Hard." It really means a lot!

  • @jibbidy34  Feb 2018

    Thank you so much for your amazingly kind words on 'Fire Pig' 😁

  • @asladders Feb 2018

    Thanks so much for your kind words/recommendation on my collaboration w/ @dani312 'Pieces ..' -- Looking forward to a few more between now and end of February. Following along!

  • @berni1954  Feb 2018

    Thanks for checking out my song about the woman going into exile on a fishing boat to escape Franco's butchers.

    I appreciate your comments.

  • @colgoo  Feb 2018

    Super excited for tonight’s show. I’m making sure to get caught up on all your new music!

  • @helene Feb 2018

    Thanks for the recommandation 😀 Means a lot to me. You are one of my favorite FAWM artist!

  • @russiasaturn Feb 2018

    I'm about to send you an email, let me know if you don't get it for some reason. 😀

  • @jamkar  Feb 2018

    Thank you sir!

  • @wacha  Feb 2018

    I misread your liner notes, I did think that was the best and most interesting ukulele I've ever heard, that makes a lot more sense.

    Thanks for the comment on "Lady Jane", I thought starting with "Lady Jane" and then coming in with "Lady Hanoi Jane" would be a bit more effective. It also flowed nicer for me to sing.

  • @wacha  Feb 2018

    Thank you for your kind words on "Start Again", I feel like with each FAWM I get at least one song that stands a little taller than the rest. I'm fairly certain this is that song for 2018.

  • @cicpisces Feb 2018

    @wistah Hi, I'd be happy to collaborate on a song. I can work with melodies if you have one in mind or just write straight lyrics.

  • @acousticmaddie  Feb 2018

    Haha I kind of put everything aside (encourage by bf and kids:) ) for fawm. It really did something with me last year my first and Since studying songwrting I really need this becourse of the inspiration and creativity it awakens.

  • @acousticmaddie  Feb 2018

    Thank you so much for your kind comment on my Ashes to ashes song and I do agree with you. I had a hard time getting friends with the happy-ukulele-kind of style.I love using it in dark song. Thank you <3

  • @dani312 Feb 2018

    Hey thanks for taking the time to leave feedback on my tune ‘Wakeful Night’. Honestly I was just as surprised that the Uke was working out for the sound I was after. It was a happy accident, honestly. I resorted to using it since my guitar chops are pretty shocking! 😀

  • @forrandom Feb 2018

    Thanks for taking a minute to comment on my song!

  • @chucknamaste Feb 2018

    Hey thanks so much for checking out my tune "Man I Ought To Be" and for the kinds words! It really means a lot!

  • @pompeyjazz Feb 2018

    Thanks so much for your support. Much appreciated

  • @karlsburg25  Feb 2018

    Cheers for your Daffodils comments. One of the hardest things i have attempted in FAWM month as you suddenly realise that due to the topic , I have to find a way to make this work and work well

  • @jessicagraae  Feb 2018

    Hey Sean- thanks for listening to "Gone to Soon".

  • @rustyp  Feb 2018

    Hey Sean, thanks!

    On "Car" I did three vocal takes, so I put one of the takes out front, and I put some crazy delay on another take. So it's kindof doubled, and delayed. You get more effect because the takes weren't exactly the same.

    Yeah, I have a step daughter who is always complaining that life isn't going right for her but from my vantage point, she refuses to take advice and she doesn't reach out to the right people or to a higher power. 😀

    I do write from a Christian perspective, but at times I don't want to write with a sledge hammer. 😀 so I was also hoping to interject the idea that life would be a lot better for some if they just acknowledged and reached out to their maker.

    So, car = life?
    smiling face on the screen listening = God?
    The left turn I guess could signify just a wrong turn, but when I wrote it I was just going for the opposite of what "you" expect. 😀

  • @rustyp  Feb 2018

    Hey Sean, I really liked some of your commentary on a song I just listened to. Would you mind following me and giving one or two of my songs a listen. I want to improve my lyric writing. 😀 I'd really appreciate it.
    I'll also listen and respond to you. 😀 Thanks!

  • @spinhead  Feb 2018

    Thanks for the thoughts on "Flower Print Dress." I've realized I'm doing this entire FAWM on my Blueridge tenor; I'll be recording #8 and #9 and maybe #10 on it today. My poor Seagull S6 glares at me every time I go upstairs . . .

  • @kalinasilverman Feb 2018

    Thank you!! I will have to check out Ravel now 😀

  • @jibbidy34  Feb 2018


    Congratulations Centurion Soldier! You wrote 100 comments for your fellow FAWMers!! You made this place even better. You took your time to listen to other people's songs and you have 100 thank you's from all of them and from me! Here’s your badge. Excellent work and keep busting’ those zongs!!

  • @bethdesombre  Feb 2018

    Thanks for the feedback on My Father's Piano. I appreciate the high five, coming from you. (I'm happy to have finally written a song I like this month!)

  • @arthurrossi Feb 2018

    Thank you so much for your kind words!

  • @itoarazi Feb 2018

    Found you!! 😁

  • @snoozin  Feb 2018

    I appreciate your feedback on Lazy Summer Afternoon. I think that switching the order in the verses will work very well. Thanks for the inspiration. Sometimes it takes another set of ears. 😀

  • @jessicagraae  Feb 2018

    Thanks for your comments on my song, In the Forest. Glad you enjoyed it.

  • @helene Feb 2018

    Welcome back!

  • @standup  Feb 2018

    Thanks for listening to wander! Surf tone in electric guitars is something I just do every time without actually planning on it. Reverb and bright single coils, guess that what I like. Thanks!

  • @theresaj  Feb 2018

    Thank you so much for recommending my song, Sean! I almost didn’t go through with finishing it so I’m happy to know that it touched you.

  • @inger  Feb 2018

    Thanks so much for you comment on Roll of the Dice. Yeah, ideas come in strange ways and take strange shapes, especially when alcohol is involved!

  • @jibbidy34  Feb 2018

    Thanks so much for listening!

  • @mom23gals  Feb 2018

    Thanks for listening to Paper Dolls and noticing that I'm working hard on improving my lyrics, and on peppier melodies! I would love to rework and record these -- maybe during my long recuperation? I have a feeling I'm going to be bored...

  • @jcooper  Feb 2018

    Thanks for your comments on diamond blue eyes. Looking forward to hearing your songs this feb

  • @jessicagraae  Feb 2018

    Thanks for listening to my song, Sean!

  • @mom23gals  Feb 2018

    Thanks for your kind thoughts on The Puzzle. I like the way it turned out. Pretty psyched I got an internet high 5 from you! Looking forward to hearing what you come up with. LMK if you need any harmonies or "light" violin work.

  • @mikegtz  Feb 2018

    Hey, Sean-ready,set,go..

  • @natrin Jan 2018

    Hello! Happy FAWMing!

  • @tan482  Jan 2018

    Looking forward to hearing your musical creations!

  • @dragondreams  Jan 2018

    Hey, Sean! 😁
    Good to see you here again. 😀

  • @cking Jan 2018

    Hey there! Thanks for making me aware of this, what a great idea!

  • @tamsnumber4 Jan 2018

    Hope you have time for some FAWMing!

  • @colgoo  Jan 2018

    Best of luck with FAWM 2018. I look forward to hearing your creations.

  • @writeandwrong  Jan 2018

    Best of luck to you during FAWM 2018!