For New Brunswick – based country artist Sean Michael Ryan, music is about honesty, connection, and showing up with purpose. Named one of Canada’s top eight emerging country artists at Boots and Hearts and having performed at the Country Music Hall of Fame, Ryan is recognized for his talent and dedication. A father, carpenter, and business owner, he balances family life with a growing music career, bringing the same work ethic and grounded values that define his East Coast roots.
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Known for his high-energy performances and commanding stage presence, Ryan captivates audiences with his voice and charisma. Influenced by the music of his upbringing and driven by a deep sense of responsibility to his family, he approaches his career with focus and passion. In this Emerging Artist Spotlight, Sean opens up about resilience, entrepreneurship, and building a lasting career in country music.
Spotlight on Business: Tell us a little bit about yourself off stage. Let’s get to know Sean as a person.
Sean Michael Ryan: Well, I’m a New Brunswick kid. I grew up on the East Coast, around people who worked hard and helped their neighbours – a lot of blue-collar folks. I spent most of my childhood doing regular kid stuff: playing hockey, playing in bands from an early age, and getting lost in the woods with my buddies during the summer. Those years taught me a lot – teamwork, passion, loyalty, work ethic – and how important it is to have good people around you. In the small community I’m from, Riverview, people really show up for each other. Growing up, you learn that family isn’t just blood. It’s how I teach my own kids now, and it’s how I approach everything in life – friendships, business, music – with the mindset that surrounding yourself with the right people is everything. That’s family, man
Spotlight on Business: What do you like to do with your spare time when you’re not writing music or on stage?
Sean Michael Ryan: First and foremost, when I’m not on stage, I’m with my kids – I love being a father. For a long time, I struggled to find my purpose. I knew I had talent in music, but I never quite fit into the traditional path growing up. Becoming a dad changed everything. The minute I held my first daughter, I knew this is what I was meant to do. If all else fails, this is my greatest success.
Outside of that, I’m a big outdoorsman. I love being in the woods, fishing, sitting by a fire – that kind of peace. I’ve also been in carpentry since I was a kid, and I love working with my hands and building things.
Spotlight on Business: When did your passion for music begin? Who were your musical influences, idols, or bands growing up that inspired you to get into the music industry?
Sean Michael Ryan: My mother is a musician – she’s a beautiful singer and guitar player – and music was always in the house growing up. My father was in country radio, so my early years were spent in radio stations, backstage at concerts, and around the industry. I fell in love with both sides of it – the singer-songwriter side I got from my mom, and the behind-the-scenes, production, and entertainment side from my dad.
I got my first set of drums when I was seven, and I remember sitting in my room as a kid, listening to bands like Mötley Crüe and Guns N’ Roses, just thinking, one day I’m going to get that phone call. Once I got a taste of performing – I was on stage by the time I was eleven – it lit something in me, and it’s been burning ever since.
Spotlight on Business: You’ve built a successful career in carpentry while keeping music at the heart of your life. How have you balanced those two worlds over the years, and what led you to bring country music back to the forefront when the time felt right?
Sean Michael Ryan: When you become a parent, own a home, and have bills to pay, you do what you have to do to put food on the table. Carpentry came into my life early, and the work ethic I learned, swinging a hammer, paid for my instruments, my first tour van, and kept things afloat when music had to take a back seat.
There were years when I had to step away from music, especially when my kids were young. Those were tough decisions – selling instruments, putting the dream on pause – but they were necessary. Still, the dream never went away.
As my kids got older, I wanted to be the kind of father who showed them that if you have a dream, you follow it – no matter how old you are or how hard it feels. So, I worked my ass off building my own carpentry business, and that’s what eventually gave me the freedom to bring music back into my life in a serious way. Over the past five years, music has become top of mind again.
Spotlight on Business: You’re now getting more time in the studio. So, do you prefer live performance or studio recording? Why?
Sean Michael Ryan: Hands down, performing is my favourite thing. Recording is a beautiful process – it’s where you create the story, working behind the scenes with producers, engineers, and musicians who are masters of their craft. I love laying down tracks and hearing that first mix come back – it’s equal parts excitement and wanting to throw up. You put so much of yourself into it, and when it’s right, that feeling is incredible.
But, performing is sharing the story with the people you wrote the songs for. Nothing compares to walking off after a great show, meeting fans, and going to bed with that feeling. That high – I’ll never be able to explain it. It’s the greatest thing ever.
Spotlight on Business: You’re very busy touring and performing at festivals and events. How has this helped you as an artist?
Sean Michael Ryan: Every show teaches me something new – about the people, the craft, and about myself. Every stage is different, every crowd is different, and those nerves you feel every time are a good thing. If you weren’t nervous, something would be wrong. That energy forces you to step outside your comfort zone, and that’s where growth happens.
Festivals, in particular, really push you. The stakes feel higher – different stages, different audiences, bigger moments – and you have to rise to the occasion. That’s where you get better, where your confidence grows, and where your connection with fans gets stronger.
Spotlight on Business: What is one festival, event, or venue that is on your career bucket list to play and why?
Sean Michael Ryan: It’s always been the Grand Ole Opry. It was a dream of my mom’s – she grew up listening to artists like Merle Haggard, Anne Murray, and Patsy Cline, and I’ve told her since I was young that someday I’m going to play there and she’s going to be there to watch me.
It’s something I get emotional about, because I feel like I got this from her. She didn’t get the chance to follow that dream herself, and there’s a part of me that feels like I’m doing this for her. I actually got the chance to stand in that circle once, and I whispered to myself, “I’ll be back.”
Spotlight on Business: What is the biggest lesson you have learned along the way on your artistic journey?
Sean Michael Ryan: Trust yourself and believe in yourself. There’s a lot of noise around every corner – opinions, trends, directions – but staying rooted in who you are and following your heart will always guide you. I teach this to my kids, too, and it applies inside and outside of music.
Spotlight on Business: If you had the chance to do a duet with another artist who would it be and why?
Sean Michael Ryan: Oh man, there’s so many people that come to mind, for sure…I think I’d love to do a duet with Luke Combs. I think I relate to him the most. I just love what he does. Out of every country music artist, I think I’ve seen him perform the most – he’s one of the most down-to-earth people. You can feel his heart through his music and his performances.
Spotlight on Business: Two of our favourites that have been out for a while are your country music anthem, Beer Ain’t One, and Every Other Weekend, which shows a softer side of you as an artist. When can fans expect new music to drop? What can fans expect to hear?
Sean Michael Ryan: Right now, there’s a lot going on behind the scenes, but I’ve got a new single coming out – it’s called I Need a Highway which releases January 16th. When it was pitched to me, I fell in love with it right away. Music has been so important to me, and this song really speaks to having a partner who wants you to follow your dreams just as badly as you do.
It’s also really special because it was written by Dave Turnbull, who wrote Where the Wild Things Are for Luke Combs, and co-written by the late Kyle Jacobs, Kelly Pickler’s husband. To be able to bring their words to life is really meaningful to me. Musically, my producer, Grady, and I spent a lot of time in Nashville designing a sound that fits who I am – kind of a Nate Smith meets Jason Aldean, midwestern country vibe. I feel like it’s the best single I’ve put out so far.
Spotlight on Business: We have been fortunate enough to have seen you live a few times on stage, and we couldn’t do an interview without talking about the “Hammer Shot”. Where did that idea come from?
Sean Michael Ryan: The idea came from my carpentry roots. You always have your tool belt on, and sometimes, at the end of a job, a customer would bring a beer to say thanks. I thought, why not bring that to the end of a show? It’s a celebration of all the hard work – mine, my band’s, and the fans’.
I actually shelved the idea for a few years because I worried people would think it was silly, but eventually I trusted my gut and gave it a shot. Now, at the end of every show, my road manager hands me my tool belt with a can of beer in it – sometimes it’s a practical joke with a huge can!
It’s become kind of my signature thing. People talk about it, come up to me afterwards, and it gets everyone fired up.
Spotlight on Business: Where can fans find out more about you, new music dropping, and upcoming shows?
Sean Michael Ryan: You can find me at seanmichaelryan.com – that’s my main website with my bio, videos, and EPK. I’m also on Instagram, TikTok, and all streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple, and Amazon – it’s all under Sean Michael Ryan Music. The biggest help fans can give is to follow along, hit the like button, comment, and share with friends. That really means a lot and helps us keep going.
Spotlight on Business: Anything else you want readers to know about you or your music? Any message for the fans?
Sean Michael Ryan: Just keep following along – I don’t plan to stop. Age is just a number, and I’m going to keep pushing, networking, and growing in this. I want to do it with everyone who believes in me. Every show I play, every person I meet, I feel so blessed – my family keeps growing with fans and supporters. I’m just some kid from New Brunswick who loves to sing and build things, and sharing this life with people is my dream – and as far as I’m concerned, it’s just getting started.
Meeting and speaking with Sean, understand that he’s grounded by family, fueled by hard work, and driven by a genuine love for storytelling. Sean Michael Ryan is carving out his own path in country music. As his career continues to grow, he remains focused on creating music that connects people.
by Mary Austin