Singer-songwriter Ryan Lindsay has two “happy places” – behind a microphone with his guitar and out in the Canadian backcountry. He is a five-time Country Music Alberta award winner whose first career was working as an outdoor guide in the Canadian Rockies, where he’d run multi-day river trips helping people experience the great outdoors. At night, he’d sometimes play his guitar and sing around a campfire. It didn’t take him long to realize he had the talent to pursue music – and he had stories to tell.
This spring Lindsay made his way to Texas and shared songs from his new album, “Seasons,” a collection of music that provides an introspective look at the seasons of his life.
Lindsay shared with Postcards the concept behind the album, his influences in music, and what he loves most about touring in Texas.
Back when 45s were common, artists used to press two songs into a record, and I’ve always liked that idea. I wanted to create a body of work, so the idea developed into releasing the music as I recorded it, two songs at a time over the course of a year. It’s like a collection of 45s that make one full album. So, we started with a two-song digital 45 called “Fall,” and released those songs on streaming, followed by “Winter,” “Spring,” and “Summer.” We then compiled them this year into a final album with a bonus track.
Most artists are starting to market their music as a series of singles instead of albums these days. That’s just a result of people’s listening habits, but with this project, I still wanted to express the music through a body of work. This allowed me to stagger the releases and give people a little more than just a single each time new music dropped.
Recording an album is always a journey – you go through different emotions throughout the year, and the music tends to change the further you get into the project. This album was a way to share that experience with my audience.
“Heart of a Troubadour” is a story about being young and a little bit naïve and growing up to recognize there is a lot more to life than you realize. There’s always more to learn, there’s always a little searching left to do. I guess I can’t speak for the listeners, but I think it’s something we all experience, and it was something that certainly resonated with me when I wrote the song.
This was such a fun song to have on an album that was otherwise quite reflective and at times got a little heavy. I felt like it was important to just cut a song for the joy of it – this song just came from that place. It’s been a great song for radio, and the story is simple – you don’t need money to have a rich experience in life!
I love all the songs for different reasons, but if I had to pick one that defines the record, I would choose “Heart of a Troubadour.” I had just started playing harmonica at the time, and it’s fun to listen back on how it all came together. Val McCallum from Jackson Browne’s band played slide guitar on it, which gave it a little heartland rock flair. I think once we recorded that song, it set a new tone for the rest of the album.
I use voice notes to take down melodic ideas or lyrical ideas – often the two together. I’ll use that as a starting point, and then sit down and work it out later. Every song gets worked out a little differently, and I kind of let the song guide the process.
I guess I reached a point in my life where I felt I had something to say. I started writing, and it just became my life. Music is that thing in my life that kept tugging at me, and I am so grateful for all the great experiences and friendships I’ve made doing this for a living.
People have called it heartland country, and more recently, the “Seasons” album has fit into the Americana genre, but I just consider myself a country artist more than anything else.
I have admired artists like Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, Blue Rodeo, and The Eagles. I grew up around that music.
I need to shout out some friends that are touring right now that you need to catch live – probably my favorite Texas-based band right now is The Wilder Blue, and a killer band from Winnipeg, Canada – The Bros. Landreth. Go see them live.
My favorite thing to do when I have the time is canoeing. There is nothing better than to pack your bags and head down a river for a few days. I also love to hunt and fish – any chance I can get to be in the backcountry is a good day for me.
The distance between towns! Alberta is very spread out, and has a lot of wide-open spaces, but in many ways very similar to Texas. It’s very rural, and people love their country music.
I love the venues. There are many cool listening rooms down there, and I think those tend to be my favorite style of shows to play these days.
My very first show in Texas was at a place called Hidden Oaks up in Windthorst, so that one has a special place in my heart. It was born out of a house concert series. It is cool to see how that kind of thing can grow.
I’ll be back in Texas this fall and announcing some tour dates. I’ll be stripping back the show to a solo acoustic performance. It’s a cool opportunity for me to share some more stories and sing the songs the way they were written, just myself and my guitar.
If you enjoy great storytelling and live music, don’t miss Ryan Lindsay when he comes back to Texas. Visit www.ryanlindsaymusic.com to find out when he will be playing a show near you. And make sure to follow him on social media and download “Seasons” wherever you get your music.
Postcards Magazine
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