Ryan Beaver - Rx (2016)

Playing contemporary country music with a guitar-driven rock edge, Ryan Beaver is a singer and songwriter who emerged from the Western "Red Dirt" scene to develop a growing following in Texas and Oklahoma. Ryan Beaver was born in Emory, Texas on March 17, 1984. Beaver struggled with asthma and allergies as a child, and while he was stuck inside, he spent plenty of time pouring over his father's music collection, which was heavy on Texas singer/songwriters like Guy Clark, folk-rock icons like Bob Dylan and Jackson Browne, and early roots rock acts such as the Band. Between his father's love of music and his mother's skills as a pianist, Beaver seemed destined to play and sing, and when he began taking guitar lessons, his instructor thought Ryan had enough promise that he asked his student to open a gig for him; Beaver was less than happy with his first public performance, but it prompted him to try harder. After finishing high school, Beaver enrolled at Texas State University in San Marcos, and he devoted more time to his music and songwriting, eventually settling in Austin, the songwriter's haven that was a 40-minute drive away. In 2008, Beaver released his first album, Under the Neons, produced by David Grissom, which earned Beaver regional airplay for the songs "I Shoulda Kissed You," "Streets of Austin," and the title track. In 2011, Beaver emerged with his second album, Constant, including the song "Hate," which rose to number two on the Texas music charts. Beaver's skill as a songwriter next led him to Nashville, where he began working up tunes with other up-and-coming artists, including Rob Baird and Kyle Park, both of whom recorded his tunes; he also signed a publishing deal with HoriPro Entertainment Group. And in October 2015, Beaver dropped the single "Dark," in anticipation of his third album. ~ Mark Deming