Meet Ryan Elwood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Elwood.

Ryan, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was raised in Northern Colorado, in the town of Berthoud. My two brothers and I were always listening to music around the house. Our father, Don Elwood, is also a drummer. He started showing me how to play when I was nine years old. By the time I was fifteen, I was filling in for him. I’ve been a working musician ever since. I moved to Denver in 2004 and got married the following year. We now have two kids who are beginning to explore their own creative endeavors. I feel very fortunate that I am able to provide for them by making music.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Every job I’ve ever taken as a musician has had different challenges. When I first moved to Denver, work wasn’t as steady for me as it is now. I haven’t always been comfortable meeting new people, so it took a while to make the right connections. Even after establishing myself in the music scene, there are always new obstacles to overcome. Bands break up, venues change format/go out of business, musical trends evolve. I think it’s important to have a sense of humor about hard times. There are worse ways to come up short on rent.

Please tell us about your work.
I view what I do as a service. The artists I work for have a vision for their music, and it’s my job to help that vision become reality. When I show up for a live performance, it’s not just about playing the songs correctly. It’s about creating energy on stage that the audience can feel and tap into. When I show up for a recording session with a songwriter, I want them to feel like they’re getting nothing short of my best drumming on tape. Which can oftentimes mean staying out of the way. And it’s not that different when I’m teaching a drum lesson. I’m there to bring the best out of my students, and I’m constantly looking for ways to do that better.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I have mixed feelings about luck. I am reminded of the saying “diligence is the mother of good luck.” Nobody just gets lucky and becomes a great musician, they work hard at their music in order to become great. However, sometimes luck does seem to be at play. I met two of my current (and longtime) employers at a Super Bowl party almost eight years ago. The party wasn’t even being thrown by musicians; it was at the home of my son’s best friend from kindergarten. Those relationships may have never formed had it not been for that chance meeting. So, luck may have presented the opportunity, but there was a lot of prior hard work required in order to take on such an opportunity.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://ryanelwood.com/
• Phone: 720-404-2237
• Email: drums@ryanelwood.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elwooddrums/
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/elwooddrums/
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/elwooddrums/

Image Credit:
Susie Wolcott (all photos except the recording studio selfie)

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