Ryan Laird
{{short description|Canadian country music singer-songwriter (born 1984)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Ryan Laird
| image = Ryan Laird in 2014.jpg
| caption = Ryan Laird in 2014
| landscape =
| birth_name = Ryan Laird
| alias =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|03|08}}
| birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| origin = Fergus, Ontario, Canada
| genre = Country
| occupation = Singer-songwriter, musician, producer, philanthropist
| instrument = Vocals, guitar, piano, drums, harmonica
| years_active = 2002-present
| label = On Ramp Records, Warner Music Canada, Studio Gold Nashville, Sorus Entertainment Canada
| associated_acts = George Canyon, Dierks Bentley, Emerson Drive, Jerrod Niemann, Jason McCoy
| website = {{URL|http://www.ryanlaird.com/}}
}}
Ryan Laird (born March 8, 1984) is a Canadian country music singer-songwriter. He received recognition and media attention across The United States and Canada in December 2008 after putting up a billboard on Nashville, Tennessee's music row asking Taylor Swift to produce his album.
Early life and education
Laird was born in Toronto, Ontario to Laird and Laurie Schneider. He has one younger brother and one younger sister. He grew up on a 100-acre beef farm in Belwood, just outside Fergus, Ontario.{{cite web |url=http://www.wellingtonadvertiser.com/index.cfm?page=detail&itmno=19555/ |title=The Wellington Advertiser - Country singer-songwriter Ryan Laird discusses bullying with CWDHS students |website=www.wellingtonadvertiser.com |access-date=15 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306171018/http://www.wellingtonadvertiser.com/index.cfm?page=detail&itmno=19555/ |archive-date=6 March 2016 |url-status=dead}} He studied jazz guitar at Humber College in Toronto.
Musical career
Laird moved to Nashville at 18, and a few years later signed a publishing deal with Cherry Lane Music Publishing.{{cite web |url=http://www.cmt.ca/artist/ryan-laird/ |title=Archived copy |website=www.cmt.ca |access-date=15 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615121757/http://www.cmt.ca/artist/ryan-laird/ |archive-date=15 June 2011 |url-status=dead}} He signed his first recording contract with CMT (Canada) and Sony Music Entertainment Canada in 2011 and performed his first showcase as part of the label during the Canadian Country Music Association Awards.
In 2008, Laird put up a billboard on Nashville, Tennessee's music row asking Taylor Swift to produce his album. Located at Broadway & 17th Ave, the billboard displayed Laird in a classroom holding a note reading “Hey Taylor - I LOVE your music. Will you produce my album?”[http://hitsdailydouble.com/news&id=280092/] {{dead link|date=April 2020}}
On March 28, 2011, Laird released a music video for his single "I'm Your Man" which charted at No. 10 on the CMT Cross Canada Countdown on July 30/2011. The radio single peaked at No. 10 on the Canada Country radio chart in July 2011 and was nominated for a Canadian Radio Music Award.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cmt.ca/artist/ryan-laird/|title=Ryan Laird Nominated for Canadian Radio Music Award|website=Cmt.ca}}
In 2012, Laird was nominated for two Canadian Country Music Awards: CMT Video of the Year and The Rising Star Award.{{Cite web|url=https://vancouversun.com/mobile/entertainment/2012+CCMA+Awards+nominees/7207159/story.html?&img=12/|title=Ryan Laird Nominated for CMT Video of the Year|website=Vancouversun.com}}
While on the CMT Canada and Sony Music Canada label roster in 2012, the record label released Laird’s second single, “She Was The One”, to Canadian Country radio. The song went on to reach No. 46 on the Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems Canada Country Chart. Later that year, Laird was invited to be a guest artist on the CMT Canada reality TV show, "CMT On The Beach". Along with fellow Canadian recording artists Dean Brody and Deric Ruttan, Laird participated in contest events and performed a concert on the beach in Jamaica for fans.{{Cite web|url=https://topcountry.ca/ryan-laird-joins-kortney-dave-on-cmt/|title=Ryan Laird joins Kortney & Dave |website=Topcountry.ca|date=January 27, 2012}}
That same year, Laird was a featured artist on CMT’s XM Sessions.{{Cite web|url=https://wn.com/Ryan_Laird_Cmt_Interview|title=Ryan Laird Cmt Interview|website=World News|accessdate=2020-04-08}}
In 2012, Laird signed a new record deal with On Ramp Records, an EMI Music Canada distributed label partner. Laird’s third radio single release, “Girl Crazy”, was serviced to Canadian country radio on April 17, 2012. The song reached No. 43 on the Nielsen BDS Canada Country Chart and was one of four singles on Laird’s self-titled debut album. A music video filmed on Santa Monica and Venice Beach, California, was added into rotation on CMT Music Canada.
The following year, Laird was approached by fellow Canadian country artist, Leah Daniels, to record a duet titled “Where Do I Go”. The song was written by composer, Ashley Monroe, from the Pistol Annies and Sam Ellis, a member of Hunter Hayes band. Ellis also produced the track. A music video was filmed in Uxbridge, Ontario.
On August 14, 2014, Laird signed a Nashville publishing and artist development deal with Studio Gold Music, Inc.{{Cite web|url=http://presscenter.com/studio-gold-music-signs-singersongwriter-ryan-laird/|title=Studio Gold Music signs Singer/Songwriter Ryan Laird|website=PressCenter.com|date=24 July 2014 |accessdate=2020-04-08}}
Laird has been interviewed on several radio shows, including by Big D & Bubba, Blair Garner After Midnite and GAC Nights.{{citation needed|date=January 2016}}
Philanthropy
Laird is actively involved in the BiggerThanThat! Movement, performing motivational message driven music concerts at schools with the initiative to inspire youth to dream big and never allow negative influences to stand in the way of success and happiness in their lives. Laird composed the campaign theme song, “Bigger Than That”, with Dave Thomson from Wave (band), which was written to mimic the BiggerThanThat! Movement message to children. The program has visited over 250,000 youth across Canada.
Tours
In 2011, Laird went on his first national tour as the opening act for George Canyon.{{Cite web|url=https://eventful.com/kelowna/events/george-canyon-/E0-001-042431332-3|title=Eventful: George Canyon|website=Eventful.com|accessdate=2020-04-08}} In 2012, Laird was the opening act for Alan Jackson,{{cite web|title=Ryan Laird Opens for Alan Jackson|url=http://www.thesudburystar.com/2012/04/19/ryan-laird-living-the-country-music-dream/|website=Thesudburystar.com|accessdate=2020-04-08}} Dierks Bentley,{{Cite web|url=http://www.stonebridgefortmcmurray.com/StonebridgeHotelSeptNews1101.pdf/|title=Ryan Laird on Tour with Dierks Bentley|website=Stonebridgefortmcmurray.com}} and Emerson Drive{{Cite web|url=http://www.cashboxcanada.ca/2847/ryan-laird-play-emerson-drive/|title=Ryan Laird Touring with Emerson Drive|website=Cashboxcanada.ca|accessdate=2020-04-08}} tours. In 2013, Laird was an opening act on the Terri Clark{{Cite web|url=http://kingstongrand.ca/event/terri-clark-ryan-laird/|title=Ryan Laird the Opening Act for Terri Clark|website=Kingstongrand.ca|accessdate=2020-04-08}} tour.
Discography
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| style="width:10em;"| Title
! style="width:24em;"| Details |
|---|
| scope="row"| Ryan Laird
|
|
| scope="row"| Bigger Than That
|
|
=Singles=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| Year
! style="width:16em;"| Single ! Album |
|---|
| rowspan="2"| 2011
! scope="row"| "I'm Your Man" | rowspan="4"| Ryan Laird |
| scope="row"| "She Was the One" |
| 2012
! scope="row"| "Girl Crazy" |
| 2013
! scope="row"| "Where Do I Go" (with Leah Daniels) |
| 2014
! scope="row"| "Love's Long Gone" | Bigger Than That |
| 2015
! scope="row"| "Summertime Girl" | rowspan="3"| Singles |
| 2016
! scope="row"| "Wear Me Out" |
| 2017
! scope="row"| "Gamble On Love" |
| 2020
! scope="row"| "Make It Work" |Single |
| 2021
! scope="row"| "If I Ever Lost You" |Single |
| 2022
! scope="row"| "Eileen" |Single |
| 2023
! scope="row"| "Legacy" |Single |
| 2023
! scope="row"| "Cosmos" |Single |
| 2024
! scope="row"| "Clapton" |Single |
=Music videos=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| Year
! style="width:16em;"| Single ! Director |
|---|
| 2008
! scope="row"| "Luv Me" | Thaddeus Fenton, Scotty Kipfer |
| rowspan="2"| 2011
! scope="row"| "I'm Your Man" |
| scope="row"| "She Was the One"
| Sean Hooper |
| rowspan="2"| 2012
! scope="row"| "Girl Crazy" | Jordan Eady |
| scope="row"| "Where Do I Go" (with Leah Daniels) |
| 2014
! scope="row"| "Love's Long Gone" | Matthew Ninaber |
| 2016
! scope="row"| "Wear Me Out" |Jacqueline Nicoll |
| 2017
! scope="row"| "Gamble On Love" |Jacqueline Nicoll |
| 2020
! scope="row"| "Make It Work" |Jacqueline Nicoll, Keagan Fairbrother |
| 2022
! scope="row"| "Eileen" |Motion Crowd |
| 2023
! scope="row"| "Legacy" |Ryan Laird |
| 2023
! scope="row"| "Cosmos" |Lorenzo Dutoni, Ryan Laird |
| 2024
! scope="row"| "Clapton" |Paul Brian, Thomas Kuecks |
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Association ! Category ! Result |
|---|
| rowspan="2"| 2012
| rowspan="2"| Canadian Country Music Association | Rising Star | {{nom}} |
| CMT Video of the Year – "I'm Your Man"
| {{nom}} |
| rowspan="2"| 2012
| rowspan="2"| Canadian Radio Music Award | CRMA Country Single of the Year - "I'm Your Man" | {{nom}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.ryanlaird.com/ Official Website]
- [http://www.ryanlairdst.com/ Official Street Team Website]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Laird, Ryan}}
Category:Canadian country singer-songwriters
Category:Canadian male singer-songwriters
Category:People from Centre Wellington