FAWM.ORG | wistah

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 americana folk acoustic three-take boy-with-guitar	24 Feb 2
#2	Hopes and Dreams americana folk acoustic tenor-guitar	21 Feb 3
#3	Coffee with Atlas acoustic folk boy-with-guitar	14 Feb 4
#4	Angel Wing acoustic folk boy-with-guitar fearless just-for-me	25 Feb 6
#5	Homeless acoustic folk boy-with-guitar fearless tenor-guitar	19 Feb 9
#6	The Courage acoustic boy-with-guitar tenor-guitar one-take	28 Feb 12
#7	Shinin' americana folk acoustic mandolin acoustic-one-take	10 Feb 18
#8	Shinin' Redux americana folk acoustic mandolin instrumental	10 Feb 18
#9	The Climb @berni1954	11 8 weeks
#10	Turn Away @russiasaturn acoustic country acoustic-one-take collab	8 7 weeks
#11	Give Me Shelter acoustic boy-with-guitar tenor-guitar one-take exquisite-corpse	6 7 weeks
#12	The Way You Make Your Tea acoustic boy-with-guitar love-song	8 7 weeks
#13	I heard it all before acoustic country traditional-country	8 7 weeks
#14	The Gentleman Redneck country traditional-country humor cowboy	8 7 weeks
#15	March is Here! instrumental mandolin	17 7 weeks

Soundboard

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@pfoo 6 weeks

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 7 weeks

Congrats on your trophy!!
@cleanshoes 7 weeks

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 7 weeks

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 7 weeks

Oh gosh, that is like the best combination of singers I could ever be compared to. Thank you!
@berni1954 8 weeks

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 8 weeks

Just posted the multi-track recording of "The Climb" - Hope you like it.
@jibbidy34 8 weeks

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 8 weeks

Thank you! That makes me feel much less guilty.
@hamiltonpoolhall 8 weeks

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 8 weeks

I know you're developing solo material (and doing a damn fine job!) but thought I would suggest anyway 😊
@tan482 8 weeks

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 17

Thank you so much for your amazingly kind words on 'Fire Pig' 😁
@asladders Feb 15

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 14

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 14

Super excited for tonight’s show. I’m making sure to get caught up on all your new music!
@helene Feb 14

Thanks for the recommandation 😀 Means a lot to me. You are one of my favorite FAWM artist!
@russiasaturn Feb 14

I'm about to send you an email, let me know if you don't get it for some reason. 😀
@jamkar Feb 13

Thank you sir!
@wacha Feb 13

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 13

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 13

@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 13

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 13

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 13

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 13

Thanks for taking a minute to comment on my song!
@chucknamaste Feb 12

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 12

Thanks so much for your support. Much appreciated
@karlsburg25 Feb 12

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 11

Hey Sean- thanks for listening to "Gone to Soon".
@rustyp Feb 9

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 9

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 9

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 8

Thank you!! I will have to check out Ravel now 😀
@jibbidy34 Feb 8

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 8

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 7

Thank you so much for your kind words!
@itoarazi Feb 7

Found you!! 😁
@snoozin Feb 5

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 4

Thanks for your comments on my song, In the Forest. Glad you enjoyed it.
@helene Feb 3

Welcome back!
@standup Feb 3

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 3

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 2

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 2

Thanks so much for listening!
@mom23gals Feb 2

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 2

Thanks for your comments on diamond blue eyes. Looking forward to hearing your songs this feb
@jessicagraae Feb 2

Thanks for listening to my song, Sean!
@mom23gals Feb 1

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 1

Hey, Sean-ready,set,go..
@natrin Jan 31

Hello! Happy FAWMing!
@tan482 Jan 30

Looking forward to hearing your musical creations!
@dragondreams Jan 29

Hey, Sean! 😁
Good to see you here again. 😀
@cking Jan 28

Hey there! Thanks for making me aware of this, what a great idea!
@tamsnumber4 Jan 28

Hope you have time for some FAWMing!
@colgoo Jan 20

Best of luck with FAWM 2018. I look forward to hearing your creations.
@writeandwrong Jan 15

Best of luck to you during FAWM 2018!

wistah 15

Artist Bio

Songs (15)

Soundboard

@pfoo 6 weeks

@tamsnumber4 7 weeks

@cleanshoes 7 weeks

@pfoo 7 weeks

@cleanshoes 7 weeks

@berni1954 8 weeks

@berni1954 8 weeks

@jibbidy34 8 weeks

@unknownbecky 8 weeks

@hamiltonpoolhall 8 weeks

@tan482 8 weeks

@tan482 8 weeks

@berni1954 Feb 19

@cleanshoes Feb 19

@cleanshoes Feb 18

@theseanovan Feb 17

@jibbidy34 Feb 17

@asladders Feb 15

@berni1954 Feb 14

@colgoo Feb 14

@helene Feb 14

@russiasaturn Feb 14

@jamkar Feb 13

@wacha Feb 13

@wacha Feb 13

@cicpisces Feb 13

@acousticmaddie Feb 13

@acousticmaddie Feb 13

@dani312 Feb 13

@forrandom Feb 13

@chucknamaste Feb 12

@pompeyjazz Feb 12

@karlsburg25 Feb 12

@jessicagraae Feb 11

@rustyp Feb 9

@rustyp Feb 9

@spinhead Feb 9

@kalinasilverman Feb 8

@jibbidy34 Feb 8

@bethdesombre Feb 8

@arthurrossi Feb 7

@itoarazi Feb 7

@snoozin Feb 5

@jessicagraae Feb 4

@helene Feb 3

@standup Feb 3

@theresaj Feb 3

@inger Feb 2

@jibbidy34 Feb 2

@mom23gals Feb 2

@jcooper Feb 2

@jessicagraae Feb 2

@mom23gals Feb 1

@mikegtz Feb 1

@natrin Jan 31

@tan482 Jan 30

@dragondreams Jan 29

@cking Jan 28

@tamsnumber4 Jan 28

@colgoo Jan 20

@writeandwrong Jan 15