Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Ryan.
Taylor, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started playing drums at the age of nine in Marathon, NY. I played in bands all through high school and two years of college. After having minor success but seeing the little room for growth in a small town, I applied for the Atlanta Institute of Music. I didn’t know a single person in GA and didn’t know who I would be living with until a week before moving. Looking back at that now, I’d be terrified, but it just sounded really exciting at the time. I graduated with a certificate in performance in 2015 and immediately began teaching and performing around Atlanta. In 2017, I started a band with one of my best friends and fellow AIMM graduate, Shane Driscoll. We released our debut album, Hollowform, under the name, Spirit Healer, in August of 2019 and have since been performing, promoting, and writing our second full-length album. If I’m not practicing, performing, or writing, you can find me teaching lessons both, independently, and at Town Center Music in Suwanee.
Has it been a smooth road?
One of the hardest parts of doing what I do is being so far from family. There are plenty of other obstacles that have come up along the way; money, physical injuries, the challenge of moving somewhere new alone, realizing you’re just not a natural at what you love and having to really put the hard work in. Though I actually consider myself very lucky. I’m far from my family, but they’re a great support system. There have been challenges, but I’ve been able to get here by staying focused.
Can you give our readers some background on your music?
Spirit Healer is a five-piece progressive band based in Atlanta, GA. Writing music that covers a wide range of styles and emotions, all while keeping a cohesive sound, and following the concept of our debut album/short story, “Hollowform.” Each following album will follow a short story we release as part of an anthology series, all taking place within the same world. I’ll include the description to our first story below.
“Hollowform” is set in the world of “The Surface,” where religious totalitarianism reigns supreme and dissension is inconceivable. The story follows the protagonist “Sym,” who, after the recent passing of his son, struggles to reclaim control over his failing farm, crumbling marriage, and religious identity. Sym unknowingly becomes the pawn of a Goddess who, after the rise of monotheism, is battling to dethrone the dominant God of The Surface. In his struggle to retain his sanity and sense of self, Sym loses all things he holds dear, along with his autonomy.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The Atlanta music scene is only beginning to grow. I feel like I see new opportunities and bands pop up every year. Really excited to see the scene Atlanta can become. As for Spirit Healer specifically, we’ve been working on a new album and it feels like a big growth both musically and conceptually. We’ve also just purchased new lights and have programmed our set, so we’re looking to turn our live shows into an experience that continues to evolve.
Contact Info:
- Website: spirithealerband.com
- Email: taylorryandrums@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/taylorryandrums
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/taylorryandrums
- Other: www.youtube.com/user/taylorryandrums
Image Credit:
Zak Waddle, Josh Thompson
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
