Getting to Know. . . Ryan Fitzsimmons
 by Kathy S-B  ·  3 August 2007

Local singer-songwriter Ryan Fitzsimmons is a guy on the go and seems to be grabbing a lot of attention lately. This is a good thing. Being chosen as the Best Male Vocalist by the Providence Phoenix and as one of the Emerging Artists at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival is no small feat. Having witnessed his performance last week at Falcon Ridge, I can tell you that Ryan rocked a lot of people’s worlds, sang his heart out and impressed many. Find out more about Ryan at his website. You can also hear some of his music at his myspace page. Be sure to mark October 5 on your calendar since he’ll be opening for Paul Rishell and Annie Raines that evening.

You began your musical career as part of a rock band. What led you to the acoustic side of the business?

The simple answer to that question is that the rock band I played in while I was in high school and college dissolved, and I simply wanted to keep playing. I started frequenting open mics with my acoustic guitar simply as a means to perform. However, my decision to focus on the acoustic guitar and performing solo had more to do with seeing Ani Difranco, and then Peter Mulvey live within a few months of each other. It was a revelation to me that you could have that much impact and power with an acoustic guitar.

Also, the songwriting really came through without all the excess that a rock band can bring with it. Then, in the same year I discovered Ani and Peter, I went to Falcon Ridge Folk Festival for the first time (and heard Greg Brown!). That pretty much set me on the path I’m still following today. I actually played on the Falcon Ridge Emerging Artists stage this year, so you can imagine what a moment that was for me.

You’re known for your array of alternate tunings. Can you explain to all the non-musicians out there, what an alternative tuning is and why you find it preferable to traditional tunings.

I’m not sure that alternate tunings are preferable to standard tunings, as they are certainly more of a hassle! I feel like I spend half my time on stage tuning my guitar. I still use them quite a bit though, for better or for worse.

An alternate tuning is another way for tuning the strings on the guitar. Most guitar players play in standard tuning which is, in notes from the lowest to highest string, EADGBE. An example of an alternate tuning would be DADF#AD. When the guitar is tuned like that, you can get an open D chord with out putting your left hand on the fretboard at all. That is an example of an “open” tuning. There are other tunings that will not give you an open chord, but they open up new and interesting chord voicings that you cannot achieve with the standard guitar tuning. This is why I like these different tunings. I can use them to play chords with a lower bass resonance, and I can leave open strings droning while I play melody lines. Really, I try to use them to expand the palate of the guitar.

I’ve read that you cite Peter Mulvey, Richard Thompson, and Johnny Cash as three of your major influences. Can you tell us what it is about those musicians that means so much to you?

I’ve been influenced by many different musicians and writers, and to expand on what each individual means to me would make this a longer interview than anyone would want to read!

It seems like every week or so lately I’m stumbling across yet another amazing songwriter I haven’t listened to before, or another exceptional musician. It is a great feeling when that happens, to get chills when you hear a lyric for the first time, to be transported by a melody, to have your whole perspective changed in the course of 3 minutes, etc. . . . Those moments have shaped my life, gotten me through my own hard times, and have provided a conduit to something larger than myself. That is what each of the artists you mentioned have done that meant so much to me. And that, in a nutshell, is why I do what I do. I’m not saying that I’m currently achieving that elusive “thing” that they do, but that is the goal and the drive.

You recently opened for Dar Williams down in Fall River on very short notice. Sounds like it was quite the adventure to get there so quickly and then have to jump on stage. For the record, everyone has raved about how fantastic you were that night. Was it a lot of fun?

Oh yeah, what a trip that was. The best part about that show was that I didn’t have time to get nervous. It was just plug in and go, and I think that was why it went so well. Dar was also extremely supportive, which is still surreal to me as I’ve been listening to her since college. Altogether it was one of my favorite gigs that I have ever played. Of course, Falcon Ridge last week was pretty intense also. It has been a good year, no doubt.

Okay, one last question. What’s your guilty pleasure? What music do you listen to that is most definitely not what one would think you would listen to?

I love old Peter Gabriel-era Genesis prog-rock. I’m also a big hair-metal fan, and I still crank up Poison, Guns and Roses, and Motley Crue when they are on the radio. How’s that?