Hi Ryan, I don’t know if you’ll read this, but Iv just started play in guitar at the age of 45, and Joe Satriani is my favourite guitarist. I just came across your channel, and I have been blown away by your ability, not just technically but how emotional and soulful your playing is especially when adding your own flavour and inspiration to a piece. I am so deeply sorry that someone with such a great talent has lost something so obviously meaningful to them and so passionate. Watching you play is giving me so much inspiration to put everything into my practice and playing. I hope that despite your condition that you are otherwise well and healthy. Thank you for sharing your passion for music, and guitar.
Lengthy Post Warning! But I promise it's a good story and a good read. I discovered your page a few months back after attending G3 and deciding to learn "Summer Song". First i'd like to say your version is my favorite and most listened to, even over the original. My 7 year old son loves watching your videos with me. He always calls you "the guy with the red guitar" and up until this story, we hadn't listened to any of your originals. I was on my way to pick him up from school a few weeks ago and was listening to your summer song cover for the 10000th time, and this popped up afterwards. I thought "what a weird song title" but listened to it and thought it was a beautiful song. I got to the school just as the song ended and I read your story in the description. It really tore me up inside and it made me realize how much we can take for granted in life. On our way home, I told him "I read a really sad story on my way over here. You know that guy with the red guitar?" and told him your story. He was really curious about it, asked a bunch of questions, and then asked if he could listen to the song. We were about a minute into the song when I started to back into our driveway. When I looked back, he was BAWLING. I immediately started to cry as well and held his hand until the song was over. I asked if he was OK and he said "I didn't realize a song could make me so sad". In one way, it broke my heart, but in another way it was also a proud father moment as someone who loves music so passionately and has played guitar for over 18 years. It was the first time I'd seen him truly get emotionally connected to a song. Later that night he asked "can music make you happy?" so i showed him cliffs of dover. "What about mad?" So I showed him Damage Inc by Metallica. and so on. Then we dove into your channel and listened to about 7 or 8 of your originals for the first time together. So first, I'd like to say thank you for making my son fall in love with music in that way. Since then he's been constantly asking if I can buy him a guitar like yours so he can learn to play, and swears that ONE DAY he WILL learn how to play this song. Also, I'm sorry you had to go through that and give something up that you were obviously so passionate about. And, with pure sincerity: You're absolutely amazing, and could have been the 3rd guy on stage with Steve Vai and Joe Satriani in G3. Your music deserves to be listened to, shared, and enjoyed by all. I hope someday, somehow, someone gets ahold of it and puts it onto an album. You have so many good songs, and it has been on repeat on my playlist along with Satriani, Vai, and Eric Johnson the last few weeks. My son and I are both obsessed and I can't wait to get him on a guitar. And lastly, I hope you are doing well, I hope you've found a new passion, whatever that may be, and that you're enjoying life. I know you aren't posting on here any more so I'm not sure if you still get on to read the comments, but I hope someday this message finds you. Thanks for sharing your music with us Ryan.
You are inspiring next generation of guitarists despite your situation. Thank you for the beautiful music and mastery of the instrument. Sometimes I listen to you play when I’m driving and day dream that it’s me playing . Take care man
I just discovered your music channel. Such beautiful emotions felt in everything, I know it has been a couple years, but for what it's worth I am so very sorry for the condition that caused you to have to quit. Your music is still reaching people and inspiring. 🫂 👍🏾
I REALLY HOPE TECHNOLOGY FOR LOSE OF HEARING COME FOR PEOPLE LIKE YOU THAT YOU COULD HEAR AGAIN AND I REALLY THINK ITS POSSIBLE , YOU HAVE A GIFT THAT MANY WISH AND WORK VERY HARD TO GET
Hey Ryan, I hope you’re doing okay, I know the last time we chatted in comments you found out you were losing your hearing due to some sort of Tumors.🥲
Must be god's sense of humor to let you earn this divine-like ability to play guitar and then just to take you the medium. I wish you all the best. <3 Greetings - a professional amateur guitarist (maybe always be).
