A family holiday to the Northern Territory followed by the family heading to Tamworth was all it took for have Amy Ryan to fall in love with county music.

From an early age, Amy has loved music and singing of all kinds. Amy would stand in front of the television and sing and do karaoke at parties as she grew.

For Christmas one year, Amy asked for a guitar and with the talent she was showing her grandfather gifted her a bright pink one. When she was in grade three, Amy started taking guitar lessons and picked it up from there.

A few years ago, the now 14-year-old Chambers Flat resident met a man named Jacob McGuffy, one of Australia’s finest bluegrass guitarists, while on that family holiday and unbeknown to Amy, would give her a new direction in life the following year. 

While in Tamworth, Amy went to one of Jacob’s concerts and was introduced to the world of live country music and was in awe. While there, Amy was fortunate enough to meet Australia’s Queen of Bluegrass, Kristy Cox which increased her love affair with everything Tamworth, especially Bluegrass Country Music.

Amy Ryan
Amy Ryan

Upon her return from holidays in Tamworth, Amy was feeling sad when her father, Andrew Ryan, convinced her to turn her feelings into songs. Together, they wrote their first song, Back to Tamworth, which was a hit with the family.

The following year they returned to Tamworth and Amy entered her first talent contests. She sang her original, Back to Tamworth and also Blue Moon of Kentucky from Bill Monroe. Amy placed in both contests and loved everything about performing on stage.

Amy wants to sing at every chance she gets and so the family travel to numerous locations where the country music scene is. Amy has been in competitions and sung at Music in the Mulga, Back to Basics, Capella and more.

“The best thing about performing is the road trips and seeing the beautiful land,” said Amy.

“I don’t get nervous unless I know an important person is in the crowd.” 

Amy released her first EP this year and returned from the Tamworth Country Music Festival with a swag of awards.

“When writing a song usually I find a chord progression first and then the lyrics though this depends on if I am writing alone or with others.”

Amy Ryan
Amy Ryan

On the back of all her success, Amy is set to release her second EP this month with an official launch at Kingston Butter Factory Cultural Precinct on Friday 21 July.

“July 21 is creeping up close and I’m very excited,” said Amy.

“My family, the Kingston Butter Factory, the special guests, my singing coach, the producers of this upcoming CD, and the Logan City Council and I have put massive amounts of effort to complete this project.

“I am hoping that people join and support me. It’s going to be an awesome night.”

To help accomplish more in her career, Amy applied and was a successful recipient of a RADDF GRANT by the Logan City Council. The grant was for her project to record and produce her second EP with Vibetone Recording Studio and holding an EP launch at the Kingston Butter Factory in the Butter Box Theatre.

In her short yet growing career, Amy has played at some amazing venues.

Amy Ryan
Amy Ryan

“The best places I have performed are the Capitol Theatre Tamworth and the Toyota Park stage. Though truly, it is around the campfire. 

“A dream place to perform would be the Golden Guitar Awards all the way but once I achieve that, it’ll be the Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee on the Grand Ole Opry, an American weekly live country music radio broadcast.”

Amy’s goal for her music is to be the person that people look up to and be known as the best songwriter.

“I hope my songs are to be timeless and played for decades.”

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