Lorne Ryder

Mississauga singer and songwriter Lorne Ryder says he's "not a real big fan" of the pedal steel guitar.

What he brings to country music on his self-titled debut CD is a rock edge and a great voice. Throw in some top Toronto studio players, mixing and mastering at the MetalWorks and you get some of the sweetest country rock music this wide of Blue Rodeo.

Other influences on Ryder's CD include Steve Earle, The Byrds, The Eagles and CSNY. The common denomiator is the big melodies.

"I think country music is lacking interesting melodies that go to different heights," says Ryder, who plays keyboards, accoustic guitar and the blues harp.

"Country artists tend to often reuse the same old melodies and that's what turns people off."

Penned with guitarist Peter Linseman, Ryder's CD features several radio-ready tracks and a few forgettable songs. Harmony-enhanced ballads like Comin My Way, Some Comfort Here, I'm Telling You Tonight and Never Giving Up On You are beautiful, but the road romp Ice Cream and Guns, co-written by Naiose Sheridan, is the best chance for a hit single.

"We saw a sign on a store when we were driving down to Nashville," Ryder says. "We kind of just looked at each other, and thought, what a great hook for a song. We thought it was so corny that it had hit potential."

Ryder's background includes six years with the head-banging band, First and Last (87-93). He was 17 when he dropped out of Cawthra Park Secondary School to hit the northern club circuit. "I did almost 1000 shows in Ontario and Manitoba," he says.

Ryder and Linseman, who teaches song writing workshops, have co-written more than 100 songs. They've already landed a Nashville publishing deal for Some Comfort Here.

Ryder, 28, is putting together a fill six-piece band for the summer festival season. He's sure to do some rockin' in the live show.

"Canadian country music needs for artists with finesse on stage," he says. "My biggest complaint is most of the guys are just standing there strumming a guitar." - Mississauga News 1999 - Mike Beggs

Fresh off being nominated for a provincial award, country rocker Lorne Ryder will perform a trio of solo shows in Mississauga later this month and in early October.

Ryder, who's currently working on his second solo album and follow-up to his original release, Ice Cream and Guns, will perform at the Lake Affect Patio Bar & Grill in Port Credit on Sept. 26 and Oct. 18. He'll be at The Devil's Harp on Oct. 4.

Songs by Ryder, including Sure Could Use A Friend, Midnight Rose and Friends Along The Way, can be heard by visiting www.lorneryder.tk.

The singer/songwriter has been nominated for a 2008 Ontario Independent Music Award in the Best Country Artist category. It was the second consecutive year he's been nominated.

The awards ceremony takes place Oct. 16 at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto.

Throughout his career, Ryder has opened for artists such as Doc Walker, Jason McCoy and The Stampeders and has shared the bill with musicians Barney Bentall, Rik Emmett and Robert Cray. He got his start in music about two decades ago with the rock band First and Last.

- Mississauga News - Sept 18, 2008

A trio of Mississauga artists have been nominated for awards at the upcoming, inaugural Ontario Independent Music Awards.

The awards show, founded by Martin Brown - formerly of the Toronto Independent Music Awards - happens on Thursday, Nov. 15 at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto. The free show starts at 7:45 p.m. and will feature a performance by local rock act Letters to Elora.

The band, singer Andrew Bryce, guitarist Jeff Raposo, drummer Calvin Castellino and bassist Nick Chang-Fong, is nominated in the Best Rock category as well.

Also nominated is Lorne Ryder, who may be familiar to local audiences from his time with the rock act First and Last. He's nominated in the Best Country category.

"After the release of my first CD (1999's Ice Creams and Guns), I took some time off to play in some other bands to really improve my playing," said Ryder, who's working on a second album. "I’ve had such a great response to the new material, and I think the new tunes show how much I’ve grown since my first release. This nomination just confirms I’m on the right track."

Also nominated is Sarah Melody. The artist, who was born in Mississauga but grew up in Barrie, is nominated in the Best Urban category.

For more information, visit www.ontarioindependentmusicawards.com.

cclay@mississauga.net


- Mississauga News - November 5, 2007