Ryan Cain is a WV native musician who has traveled the East Coast for more than twenty years performing early rock 'n' roll hits and his original material.
A multi-instrumentalist, Cain is equally versed in the honky-tonk and country sounds, as well as early soul and doo-wop, giving his live shows a range and variety rarely seen in modern professional shows. Prompted by audience requests, Cain will readily dive into surf-rock instrumentals, country, or soul classics.
Exciting live performances have gained the band a large fan base of all ages that grows every day. His 2012 album “My Pistol Rides Shotgun,” was critically acclaimed and was nominated for an Ameripolitan Award for “Best New Rockabilly Album.” Singles from that album went on to earn a spot in a NASCAR/Mobil 1 Oil advertisement campaign, while another track was used in the CW’s hit series “Supernatural” and the Netflix original series "Fauda." With the release of his 2016 album, "Cupid and the Devil," Cain reached new personal artistic heights - a real "musician's choice."
In 2020, Cain teamed up with pianist, Matt Jordan, whose repertoire includes touring with Reverend Horton Heat and Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats. Together, they perform memorable, barnburner shows promoting both their original songs and covers of old hits their audiences won't soon forget.
A multi-instrumentalist, Cain is equally versed in the honky-tonk and country sounds, as well as early soul and doo-wop, giving his live shows a range and variety rarely seen in modern professional shows. Prompted by audience requests, Cain will readily dive into surf-rock instrumentals, country, or soul classics.
Behind the Music
Regionally, Cain is known as "The Real Deal" of Rockabilly. He came to earn the moniker not only from his performances, but also from his lifestyle. Ryan grew up in a rural, low-income setting with family and neighbors who had never progressed past the 1950's. Though they didn't have much, his father's record collection took up much of the family's living space. Seemingly born in the wrong decade, Ryan was schooled by Sun, Decca, and Chess records and spent endless hours imitating his idols, including his late father - an original "greaser". Ryan's love and encyclopedic knowledge of early American music and culture comes out in his live performance, which is faithful and reverent while maintaining the visceral, immediate energy of the originals.
But, Cain is more than an historian. His original tunes display his talent and originality as a songwriter and musician. The surly, grinding guitar riffs of "Yes, Indeedy" commands attention, while in the exuberant murder tale told in "My Pistol Rides Shotgun," Cain drives his guitar breaks past traditional rockabilly straight into the whirling sounds of a carnival.
Cain talks about living in his "Hepcat Habitat" in his rockabilly rave-up song of the same name, and while the song is pure fun, it's a genuine reflection of the center of his music and lifestyle - that is, even while exploring styles going back decades to Memphis, New Orleans, or the West Coast, Cain's music, like the man himself, remains uniquely, at times, defiantly, West Virginian.
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