Ryan Larkins Offers a Refreshingly Classic Sound on Debut EP

As soon as Nashville native Ryan Larkins discovered the songwriting scene in Music City, he began taking himself to school on what made a song great. While doing so, he began to fall in love with the artists that made country music great as well; artists we know by a single name: Merle, Willie, Dolly and the like.

When it came time to release his debut EP, aptly titled Meet Ryan Larkins, late last year, he wanted to tap into both the storytelling and melodies that hooked him to country music, all the while, capturing a sound that feels fresh on country radio today. And to our ears, mission accomplished.

We chatted with Larkins all about his EP, as well as his musical roots, his songwriting success with Cody Johnson’s “The Painter” and more!

Pro Country: Your bio references influences ranging from traditional country music to gospel, pop and R&B sounds. Who are some of the artists you’ve connected with across genres that have helped shape your sound?

Ryan Larkins: I got started playing in church, so southern gospel music was my start. I was singing hymns in church when I was 12 years-old. Then I remember listening to Randy Travis when I first got a record player around 20 or 21 years-old. I loved his storytelling. I remember hearing “Three Wooden Crosses” and thinking it was so similar to gospel music. I remember preachers coming through our church, standing up on stage and telling stories, and I would be on the edge of my seat, and that song felt like the same thing to me.

I also love artists like Don Williams, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson. And of newer artists, I love Lainey Wilson and Cody Johnson. It’s funny how there are so many sounds that have shaped my sound!

PC: You began writing songs at just 12 years-old. What was it about songwriting and expressing yourself in that way that connected with you so early in your life?

RL: I love rhyming words. I remember writing poems when I was eight or nine. Once I started playing guitar, it was a natural next step. There were certain songs and stories that I loved, and I wanted to be able to tell my own stories. I love singing covers, but my favorite songs are the ones that I have written because I’m getting to tell my own story.

PC: With that early start in music, when did it become clear to you that music was something you wanted to, and actually could, pursue as a career?

RL: I didn’t really realize that it could be a job until I was about 18. I remember going to bars in Nashville that had writers’ rounds. People would take turns playing their original songs. I heard Don Schlitz at The Bluebird, and I thought “holy cow, this guy has written some of my favorite songs.” I didn’t realize the artists didn’t always write the songs. I remember doing an open mic at The Bluebird, and I would listen to the people who went before me, and it made me realize I wasn’t ready yet. My songs weren’t good enough yet. When I was 21 or so, I really started writing the best songs I possibly could. A few years ago, I signed my first publishing deal. Writing with those signed writers is a different ballgame. They’ve done it for a long time, and that helped me learn a lot. I learned from some of my favorite songwriters how to write a song.

PC: The traditional path for up-and-coming singer/songwriters is usually packing up and moving to Nashville, which was different from your path having been born and raised in Nashville. How much did you take advantage of having that access to Nashville so early in your life and having the opportunity to immerse yourself in that scene?

RL: My dad was a Pentecostal pastor, so growing up, I really had no clue about country music. It was so strict: I only listened to gospel music. When I was 21, I tried out for a show called Can You Duet on CMT. A friend of mine from church and I decided to try out for the show, learn a couple country songs, and hopefully be the next Brooks & Dunn [laughs]. I learned a few country songs, and that’s really when I found out about country music and fell in love with it. I bought a record player, went to Goodwill and bought a bunch of old records. I tried to go out every single night and hear songwriters. It was all like going to school. It’s amazing being this close to great music and great songs. There’s no other place on earth like Nashville, Tennessee, and I’m so thankful to live here.

PC: You mentioned in a previous interview that “King of Country Music” played a major role in signing with Jay DeMarcus’ Red Street Records. Can you take us through the courting and signing process and what it means to you to have the belief in your artistry from somebody like Jay?

RL: It’s incredible. Rascal Flatts is one of my favorite bands ever. I remember walking into a meeting with Red Street. I was going to be playing a few songs, and I was nervous. The very first song I played was “King of Country Music.” I remember the reaction. I could tell right away that they believe in me. Jay has believed in me from the moment I met him. It’s amazing having somebody that I respect so much in the business believe in me. I’m getting to work with someone like that. You can’t make it up. It’s a dream come true. Watching him do his thing in the studio, you can tell he’s done this a few times [laughs]. He gets the best out of the musicians. Having his guidance and support means the world to me.

PC: “Man That Holds the Beer” has earned over 300,000 streams on Spotify alone. What do you think it is about that song that has allowed it to be the top-performer so far?

RL: I think that song is so relatable. Everybody can related to having a long, hard week and wanting to relax on the back porch at five o’clock on Friday. I think there’s something about that song that feels classic between the melody and story. I think it people can relate to it.

PC: “Paid for It” is our favorite song on your EP, and is a song you co-wrote with Adam Wright and Jay Knowles. Can you take us in the room and talk about how the song came together?

RL: That’s one of my favorites too. It was written during quarantine. Covid was going on, and Adam, Jay and I were writing on Zoom. Adam had the idea, and I remember thinking we really had something at the end of the day. Each person had a story similar to each verse, so we each kind of own one of them. That song speaks to me. We’ve all been through times where telling the truth and doing the right thing are the right thing to do. Looking back, you think of instances where you’re glad you told the truth in a certain moment or wish you could have done something differently. I think it’s a special song.

PC: Your EP features includes top-tier musicians like Jay DeMarcus, Ilya Toshinskiy and Paul Franklin, among many others, and also featured Jay, Ilya and Pete Good handling producing duties. What was it like for you to collaborate with so many talented musicians, especially on your debut EP?

RL: I love it so much! It’s amazing sitting back and watching them work and bounce ideas off of each other. I like to be vocal in those situations, but the musicianship takes you back a little bit. These guys are so good; they don’t play a bad note. You just have to sit back and watch them do their thing. I can’t help but sit back and be in awe of these great producers and musicians.

PC: With an EP title like Meet Ryan Larkins, what do you hope listeners take away from the EP and their introduction after listening all the way through?

RL: I hope people listen to these songs and think that they’ve heard a classic sound, but it’s current, cool and something completely new and fresh that they haven’t heard before. I hope people hear the songwriting and think there’s something about it that’s different than what they’ve heard on the radio lately. I hope it’s refreshing. I hope that people get to meet me not only as a songwriter, but as a person through these songs.

PC: Your bio mentions sharing writing rooms with several legendary hitmakers, including Tom Douglas, Rhett Akins, Craig Wiseman and Bill Anderson, to name a few. How much do you value opportunities to share creative spaces with such talented songwriters?

RL: It’s amazing watching those people do what they were put on this earth to do. Those craftsmen have worked on being able to write a song and tell a story for a long time. I treat every day like I’m going to school when I’m writing with great writers like them. I feel like it’s a great opportunity for me to learn how to write a great song, and hopefully follow in their footsteps.

PC: You co-wrote Cody Johnson’s current single, “The Painter,” which is currently sitting at number six on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. Was has it been like to see the life that song has had and how validating is it for you as a songwriter to see so many people connecting with your song?

RL: It’s so cool. The journey that song has been on has been so much fun. That song is so special to me because it’s the story of my wife. I was working a job not too long ago, and I couldn’t stand it. I would wake up every morning and dread going into work. I walked in one day and my wife said, “You know, Ryan, you’re not doing what God put you on this earth to do, and I want you to go in tomorrow, quit your job. We’re going to take a leap of faith, and the right door will open for you.” A few months after that, I signed my first publishing deal, and a few months after that, I was in a room with Kat Higgins and Benjy Davis, and I said, “My world was black and white but she’s the painter,” and we wrote that idea.

It’s so special to be driving down the road with the whole family and to have that song come on. It’s the greatest feeling ever knowing that song is about her. I’m so thankful.

PC: When did you realize that you had a special song with “The Painter”?

RL: I felt it from the very beginning when we first wrote it. As time goes on, sometimes songs just sit there. That song is four or five years old. I’ve always believed in it, but I remember getting the call saying Cody Johnson put it on hold, and I started thinking that something good was going to happen. You never know, because when an artist puts a song on hold, there’s a cautious optimism, because there’s no guarantees. Then I remember getting the call that it was going to be the first single off of his new record; we were jumping up and down. That’s when we knew for a fact how special it was.

PC: You’re set to hit the road with Priscilla Block through the spring on a tour that will take you all over the country. How much are you looking forward to staying busy on the road and building new fans along the way?

RL: I can’t wait! Priscilla Block is so great. I’m such a fan of hers because she is 100% herself. Getting to open for an artist like that is a real treat. I’m excited to get out there and try these songs out in front of a live audience. I think her crowd will be a great audience for these songs. I’m so looking forward to it!

PC: Along with your spring tour, what do you have planned for the rest of 2024?

RL: We’re going to do some radio shows! We’ve got “King of Country Music” at country radio right now. I’ve got some goals: I’ve never played the Grand Ole Opry, so I would love to see that happen this year, and I believe it will! Maybe I’ll hop on another tour opening for someone else as well. I’m also going back in the studio in March. I believe 2024 is going to be a big year!