Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Adam Wells.
Ryan Adam, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve been singing and telling stories my whole life. As a kid, I used to gather the whole family together at Holidays and reunions, and sit in the center singing songs and telling jokes. Now, some 2 and a half decades later, I’ve made it my career. Music, Storytelling, Comedy, Spoken Word, Poetry, and Theatre are the things I combine to create my art, and I love traveling around and sharing it with as many people as will let me.
Has it been a smooth road?
It has most certainly not been a smooth road. I grew up on a little farm in Indiana, so money’s never really been among the many blessings I’ve had along the way. There are so many struggles a touring performer faces; from the big and theoretical, like “How do I make rent, or my next flight this month” or “How do I reach the next level, without being able to pay for a showcase” to the small and immediate, like “Where am I gonna sleep tonight” or “My guitar’s pickup just broke and it’s an hour ’til the show”. And that’s not to mention the struggle of finding the right audience, winning over crowds that don’t care, changing the minds and hearts of people that don’t support you, and so on.
The thing that makes it all worthwhile is the performing, though. When you feel a connection with the audience, ever single struggle you’ve ever had feels trivial and tiny. I love what I do.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I write and perform original works all around the world. I’d say I specialize in stories. Through my music, my shows, my spoken word, it’s all true stories that I believe serve a greater purpose. I’m very proud of my Show “Beers About Songs”, a 1-hour solo musical about abuse cycles, and the people I’ve been lucky enough to touch in whatever way possible with it.
I feel that the thing that sets me apart from other artists is how many different styles and genres I blend into what I do. I grew up playing in punk rock bands and acting in musicals. I’ve traveled around the world with Vaudeville Troupe Sound & Fury, and taught improv to people of all ages everywhere from Los Angeles to rural Australia. I’ve directed Shakespeare, acted in films, worked at theatre camps for kids, written songs for movies, been in folk, country, rock, pop, and jazz bands, sang in big band performances; I blend all of that together for my personal works, and draw from all of those sources and more.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
My favorite thing about Houston is how diverse and ALIVE it is… There are all kinds of different kinds of people doing all kinds of different kinds of things, and if you’ve got the drive, you can find a space to do anything you set your mind to.
The thing I like the least about it is probably that, even with all of these people here in the city, it’s sometimes hard to get people to come out to alternative theatre; people seem to stick to the Comedy Clubs and Equity Spaces. However, it has certainly been my experience that, once you can get someone to try out something new, you’ve got them hooked!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ryanadamwells.com
- Email: ryanadamwells@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/ryanadamwells
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/rywells25
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/ryanadamwells
Image Credit:
William T. Hardin Photography
Vonzfoto Photography
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
