{"id":15650,"date":"2016-08-19T01:19:36","date_gmt":"2016-08-19T08:19:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/?p=15650"},"modified":"2016-08-19T14:35:59","modified_gmt":"2016-08-19T21:35:59","slug":"video-feature-web-exclusive-ryan-shupe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/2016\/08\/video-feature-web-exclusive-ryan-shupe\/","title":{"rendered":"Video Feature &#038; Interview: RYAN SHUPE"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1><strong>VIDEO FEATURE &amp; WEB-EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW<\/strong><\/h1>\n<h3>Musician:<strong> \u00a0RYAN SHUPE<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h3>Video: \u201c<strong>We Rode On<\/strong>\u201d<\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hThieBH_Xko\" width=\"660\" height=\"371\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>RYAN SHUPE Web-Exclusive Interview<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h3><strong>with\u00a0<em>M Music &amp; Musicians<\/em>\u00a0magazine publisher, Merlin David<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Ryan Shupe will be touring the country to promote his eighth album, the independently released <em>We Rode On<\/em>\u2014a fusion of rock themes with an acoustic bluegrass influence. A Utah-based, fifth generation fiddler, as well as an accomplished mandolin and acoustic and electric guitar player, Shupe has been touring extensively across the U.S. since he was 10 years old.\u00a0He continues his tours of respected concert venues and festivals, and along with his band he is comfortable on the national stage, including appearances on the television show <em>Good Morning America<\/em>, Mountain Stage, GAC and CMT.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Shupe talks about how this new collection of songs came together, and shares his observations of life around him\u2014and insight into the inspiration of his new album, which streets today, August 19, 2016. With the songwriting sensibilities of Bruce Springsteen, the rocking rhythms and energy of the Dave Matthews Band, and the melodic simplicity of James Taylor, Ryan Shupe\u2019s lyrical imagery explores life, love, family, hope and dreams on his new album, <em>We Rode On<\/em>. Join him on this adventurous ride.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-15659\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Ryan-Shupe-1-credit-Bry-Cox.jpg\" alt=\"\u00a9 BryCox.com, Bry Cox\" width=\"660\" height=\"371\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Ryan-Shupe-1-credit-Bry-Cox.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Ryan-Shupe-1-credit-Bry-Cox-300x168.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>How did the idea of the title track \u201cWe Rode On\u201d come to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It\u00a0has a lot of imagery from my life\u2019s adventures.\u00a0One of the lines in particular, \u201csinging songs at the top of our lungs,\u201d was inspired by a road trip I took with some college buddies.\u00a0They wanted me to bring my mandolin so we could sing songs while we were driving.\u00a0I remember belting out John Denver songs at the top of our lungs while we were driving over mountain passes.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>What is your creative process for writing songs?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I try and write the lyrics and music at the same time. The ideas I have come from my own experiences\u2014observing other people, reading stories and news articles, and conversations. I find that writing songs on different instruments inspires different ideas.\u00a0If I am writing on the guitar, I find that I have unique ideas\u2014than if I am writing on the piano or the mandolin.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>What songwriting tip can you offer?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I try not to force a song or overthink it.\u00a0It seems like the best songs kind of flow naturally.\u00a0And I think it\u2019s important to really believe in a song.\u00a0The more personal meaning it has for me, the better the song.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>How do you keep song ideas fresh\u2014and continue to think of new ideas?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I try to stay open to all ideas and not censor a song too early.\u00a0Some of my favorite songs seemed like a goofy idea at first, but ended up being really cool in the end. I think continuing to observe the world around me helps me constantly think of new ideas.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-15658\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Ryan-Shupe-3.jpg\" alt=\"Ryan Shupe-3\" width=\"330\" height=\"466\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Ryan-Shupe-3.jpg 330w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Ryan-Shupe-3-212x300.jpg 212w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 330px) 100vw, 330px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Have you done any co-writing?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I haven\u2019t done a ton of co-writing.\u00a0But I think it\u2019s really good to see how other people come up with creative ideas.\u00a0And sometimes when you work with someone else, the sum is greater than the parts.\u00a0A lot of great songs are written that way.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>When did something unique inspire you to write a song?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I was at the airport when I saw a guy in the military saying goodbye to his family\u2014he was being deployed. It made me appreciate that I would only be gone for three or four days while he was leaving for probably a year and a half.\u00a0It also made me appreciate the sacrifices people in the military make for our country.\u00a0That touching scene, of him saying goodbye to his family, helped inspire the song \u201cTake Me Home.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>How does where you live or travel influence your music?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There is a thriving music scene here in Provo, UT.\u00a0There are a ton of university\u00a0students and a lot of really great bands\u00a0who get out on a local, regional and somewhat national basis.\u00a0It\u2019s inspiring to see such great music come out of a relatively small city. We are a little bit isolated and it takes some effort to go to nearby markets.\u00a0But this has also helped us develop a unique sound and made us find a niche for our music.\u00a0We have become better entertainers and built a strong, solid fan base.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-15657\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Ryan-Shupe-4-credit-Robin-Sayville-300x193.jpg\" alt=\"Ryan Shupe-4 - credit Robin Sayville\" width=\"300\" height=\"193\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Ryan-Shupe-4-credit-Robin-Sayville-300x193.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Ryan-Shupe-4-credit-Robin-Sayville.jpg 660w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Who influenced you to pick up different instruments?<br \/>\n<\/strong>Well, I come from a long line of fiddle players in my family.\u00a0I\u2019m a fifth generation fiddle player.\u00a0I owe a lot to my father. He started getting\u00a0me up to practice two hours every day\u2014before school\u2014when I was five years old!\u00a0When I was 10 years old, he started a little kid bluegrass band that I performed in.\u00a0We performed all over the United States and even went to Europe. Along the way, picking up the guitar, mandolin and banjo seemed natural.\u00a0As a kid I listen to a lot of rock music, so mixing in that style with the acoustic\u00a0instruments was a lot of fun for me.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Who inspired you to write songs?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When I was really young, I would make up songs on my violin.\u00a0But later, I started writing songs with lyrics and experimenting with different melodic ideas.\u00a0Then I started listening to some of the greats like Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon and James Taylor.\u00a0Writing songs became magical moments. I loved creating a story or a mood when lyrics were combined with music.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Tell us how this new album, <em>We Rode On<\/em>, evolved.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I have always loved combining\u00a0acoustic instruments with a rock flavor.\u00a0All the songs on this album have one thing in common\u2014they have\u00a0been swirling around in my head for a while and needed to get out.\u00a0So, I started tracking stuff in my personal studio.\u00a0I started getting the ideas down in basic form. But the more I recorded, the more I felt like a mad musical scientist creating something. <em>(Laughs)<\/em> I definitely think the album has the jamming acoustic sound we have become known for, but also highlights the rock side of our musical\u00a0arsenal.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Love the positive message in \u201cThe Sun Will Shine Again\u201d\u2014another video from this album.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I wrote this song as a mantra for my children.\u00a0I wanted them to have something they could take with them.\u00a0Then, when times get tough, they can remember that the sun <em>will<\/em> shine again.<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_15656\" style=\"width: 670px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15656\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15656\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Ryan-Shupe-5-credit-Bry-Cox.jpg\" alt=\"\u00a9 BryCox.com, Bry Cox\" width=\"660\" height=\"368\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Ryan-Shupe-5-credit-Bry-Cox.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Ryan-Shupe-5-credit-Bry-Cox-300x167.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-15656\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">\u00a9 BryCox.com, Bry Cox<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Where were you when you first heard one of your songs on the radio?<br \/>\n<\/strong>Hearing your song on the radio is an amazing feeling.\u00a0I remember one time\u2014I was in a gas station on the road, and our song started playing.\u00a0You feel like you want to start running around telling everybody that you are on the radio. Kind of like that scene from the movie, <em>That Thing You Do!<\/em> When something like that happens it motivates you to keep going.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>How does it feel to hear your songs covered by other artists?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m always amazed and surprised by fans and other bands that play our songs.\u00a0One time I was at a restaurant and they had karaoke there.\u00a0I looked and my song was in the list of potential songs.\u00a0I thought it would be funny to get up and sing my own song. <em>(Laughs)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Tell us about a memorable moment on stage.<\/strong><em><br \/>\n<\/em>I remember on one of my birthdays, we got to play at the Grand Ole Opry.\u00a0There were all sorts of awesome musicians walking around backstage. I don\u2019t think they quite knew how to take our unique sound and performance, but it was great to perform on such a legendary stage.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Top 5 Musicians or Songwriters\u00a0who inspired you to become a musician?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Dave Matthews Band<\/p>\n<p>Bruce Springsteen<\/p>\n<p>Lyle Lovett<\/p>\n<p>New Grass Revival<\/p>\n<p>Ted Shupe\u2014my Dad<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>What instruments<\/strong><strong>\/equipment\u2014that helps you write\/record\/perform\u2014 can you not live without?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I love writing\u00a0on a bunch of different instruments. I think the variety keeps the creative juices flowing.\u00a0But I have to say, I have a great Taylor guitar that I love.\u00a0I also have a vintage Guild guitar that has a cool sound, and an old authentic Mexican classical guitar that has a great vibe. I have a Flatiron mandolin that is super solid, and a great Deering banjo.\u00a0My fiddle and piano have been in our family for a long time.\u00a0I\u2019m not sure where they come from, but they sound great. I string up everything I can with Elixir Strings.\u00a0I love the way they feel and sound.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_15655\" style=\"width: 670px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15655\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15655\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Ryan-Shupe-6-credit-Robin-Sayville.jpg\" alt=\"Credit Robin Sayville\" width=\"660\" height=\"371\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Ryan-Shupe-6-credit-Robin-Sayville.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Ryan-Shupe-6-credit-Robin-Sayville-300x168.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-15655\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Credit Robin Sayville<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Any musicians or songwriters you\u2019d love to work with in the future?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There is a lot of great music out there\u2014the Avett Brothers, Twenty One Pilots, Ed Sheeran. And there are a lot of great artists I\u2019d love to collaborate with.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>What PRO are you with, and how do they help a songwriter\/artist you?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>BMI. Good question! <em>(Laughs)<\/em> Well, I know they collect money for performances.\u00a0And, they offer showcases and help connect the dots of a music career.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>What are your Top 5 favorite albums of all time?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Oh man, that\u2019s a tough question. There have been a lot of great albums.\u00a0Music keeps evolving, and so it\u2019s natural for my taste in music to evolve as well.<\/p>\n<p><em>Born in the U.S.A.<\/em> (1984) \u2013 Bruce Springsteen. Great album back in the day\u2014my buddies and I listened to it all the time.<\/p>\n<p><em>Back in Black<\/em> (1980) \u2013 AC\/DC. Was always a great album to blast out on the way to snowboarding.<\/p>\n<p><em>Under the Table and Dreaming<\/em> (1994) \u2013 Dave Matthews Band. Loved that they were combining some not so typical instruments with jam rock\u2014totally loved it.<\/p>\n<p><em>Document<\/em> (1987) \u2013 R.E.M. They had many great albums.<\/p>\n<p><em>Graceland<\/em> (1986) \u2013 Paul Simon. The way he used rhythms and different styles of music was incredible and amazing.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-15652\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Top5-Albums-RYAN-SHUPE.jpg\" alt=\"Top5-Albums-RYAN-SHUPE\" width=\"660\" height=\"440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Top5-Albums-RYAN-SHUPE.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Top5-Albums-RYAN-SHUPE-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cDream Big\u201d is such a beautiful, inspirational anthem for musicians, sports figures, students, people in poverty stricken areas and just life in general. What sparked the idea?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I read a quote that one of my friends sent me\u2014and a part of it inspired me.\u00a0I grabbed a guitar and wrote \u201cDream Big\u201d in about 30 minutes.\u00a0I just love that it is a simple song with such a powerful message.\u00a0It definitely has a spirit about it that resonates with a lot of people.\u00a0We get letters and emails from people all over the world that have told us that \u201cDream Big\u201d has helped them get through a hard time\u2014and that is really awesome.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>This song can be an anthem for charities\/organizations that help people around the world.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I think \u201cDream Big\u201d has a lot of potential, and I hope that we can find many great ways for it to be involved in worthwhile charities and organizations.\u00a0It has been used in a lot of videos and commercials, and continues to inspire people.\u00a0Also, we\u2019ve randomly discovered that \u201cDream Big\u201d is huge in Ghana, Africa.<em> (Laughs)<\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_15654\" style=\"width: 670px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15654\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15654\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Ryan-Shupe-7-credit-Robin-Sayville.jpg\" alt=\"credit Robin Sayville\" width=\"660\" height=\"371\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Ryan-Shupe-7-credit-Robin-Sayville.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Ryan-Shupe-7-credit-Robin-Sayville-300x168.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-15654\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">credit Robin Sayville<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Best advice someone has given you.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Dream big! <em>(Laughs) <\/em>Actually, I\u2019ve heard a lot of great quotes and advice.\u00a0However, I think \u201cYou can\u2019t make everyone happy\u201d is a good one.\u00a0Because, it\u2019s important to remember as a musician that you need to make music that you like. If you love it, people will see your passion and gravitate toward what you are doing.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>What\u2019s next?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We are always touring.\u00a0This year we have been performing at festivals, venues and concert series events in AZ, ID, UT, WY, CO, WA, OR, VA\u2014and we always have more gigs coming. I love performing.\u00a0I am always fleshing out song ideas and thinking of future projects.\u00a0It\u2019s important to keep coming up with new ideas.\u00a0That\u2019s what pushes me as a musician and songwriter.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Where can your new fans get more info and stay updated?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h3>RyanShupe.com<\/h3>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><strong>Check out \u201cJust Say Yes\u201d video posted on 4\/1\/16 on Mmusicmag.com:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/2016\/04\/ryan-shupe-just-say-yes\/\">https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/2016\/04\/ryan-shupe-just-say-yes\/<\/a><\/h3>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-15653\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Ryan-Shupe-8.jpg\" alt=\"Ryan Shupe-8\" width=\"640\" height=\"561\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Ryan-Shupe-8.jpg 640w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Ryan-Shupe-8-300x262.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>VIDEO FEATURE &amp; WEB-EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Musician: \u00a0RYAN SHUPE Video: \u201cWe Rode On\u201d &nbsp; RYAN SHUPE Web-Exclusive Interview with\u00a0M Music &amp; Musicians\u00a0magazine publisher, Merlin David &nbsp; Ryan Shupe will be touring the country to promote his eighth album, the independently released We Rode On\u2014a fusion of rock themes with an acoustic bluegrass influence. A Utah-based, fifth [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15661,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7725],"tags":[816,7974,815,5879,976,969,7956,220,7967,7970,3308,7560,7966,7955,7973,7953,7971,6577,7964,1624,7957,7724,3121,3010,7965,7978,7954,7977,7962,1857,7959,2120,7723,7975,7976,5786,7958,3720,7963,7961,4559,7968,7969,7960,7952,7972],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15650"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15650"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15650\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15662,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15650\/revisions\/15662"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15661"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15650"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15650"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15650"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}