Bobryanmusic.com: The Kudos

Lovers of roots music cannot do without this disc. We can expect that Bob Ryan needs some time to produce his masterpieces. Until the next time, we keep a sharp eye on him.

Honorable mention for "Coachella Rain"

"...Spirit is beautifully produced by Ryan and studio veteran Billy Williams, who find a perfect mix of acoustic guitar up front and electric guitars, percussion and (sometimes) strings tastefully behind."

(Bob Ryan is...)
"... a true tunesmith with a voice to match..."

The...Cd is Magically Delicious!"

Honorable Mention,
"Just Like You Mean It"
from the CD "The Spirit of Andy Devine"

"...Bob Ryan is a very charming fellow."

From the Dutch Website www.altcountry.nl –
The Spirit of Andy Devine by Bob Ryan is pure easy listening. Literally. Not because we hear smooth notes, but because Bob Ryan posses a beautiful supple voice, and writes peaceful songs. With the choir-like background vocals reminiscent of old fashioned country rock. The title number sounds like Michael Nesmith meets Scott Walker.
And "Heroes" is somewhat in the style of America meets Manassas. Shall we continue? "This Train Goes Nowhere" is built around a riff which reminds us of "The Joker" of Steve Miller. And in "South Dakota Bound" we hear slide guitars that sound as if Little Feat plays along -- with those long withering tones. Beautiful. The opening number "Your Wandering Baby Boy" features what the sleeve notes refer to as a "Paul Cotton" guitar solo -- Paul Cotton being a member of Poco. But that's enough comparisons for now. Bob Ryan's father was with the Air Force and so, as a boy, Bob traveled all over America. Frequently the family moved to another State or another area. That left its imprint; traveling is Bob Ryan's favorite theme. However, the title number "The Spirit of Andy Devine" deals with the disappearance of the Old West and the yearning for those times. So, in the end, the real theme is the fading and the impermanence of all good things, with which we can explain why humans dream of heaven. Uh, two more names to mention: Mickey Newbury meets Pure Prairie League. (John Gjaltema)

The Spirit of Andy Divine

With a voice and style that defy easy classification, lyrics that are both unambiguous and poetic, and a gift for memorable melody, Bob Ryan's songs explore moments of faith, doubt, love, and regret.

Like a good journalist, his chronicles of his own journey “down here on the surface” probe the universally shared experiences of the human heart – always anchored to the earth while keeping an eye on Heaven.

In “The Spirit of Andy Devine,” Bob takes a long, lingering look at life’s impermanence ... from childhood memories and misplaced love affairs to heroic icons and the once-romantic image of the great American West. Or maybe western culture itself.

In the album's title song, Ryan looks at the West as a boarded up old boom-town, creaking and teetering and longingly searching the vast empty plains for a glimpse of the great heroes of the past. And hovering over them, Andy Devine, the hero’s great comic sidekick, sadly forgotten by time.

In these 14 tracks, we catch glimpses of Elvis and Patsy Cline, roadside taverns and long, unbending highways, freight trains, dusty farms and life on the Mississippi. Ryan introduces us to characters like the bitter Texas Jim, whose eyes are “... as wide and empty as the prairie south of Broken Bow Nebraska in the fall,” and drifts us back into childhood, with its "long, slow days / the open-ended time.."

But it’s not all endings and lost chances. This album is, as the closing track claims, “... a song that comes out hopeful in the end.”

On a recent drive across the Navajo nation in N.E. Az., this cd played the perfect soundtrack. A nice feel throughout, relaxing, sometimes humorous. Impeccable instrumentation and arrangements. Brilliant harmonies. We listened to it twice in a row. Ryan's style is a marvelous amalgam of his many influences.