Ryan Sampson

 

 

Country Music Is Hotting Up For Ryan

Country Music is hotting up for Toowoomba based Tamworth born artist Ryan Sampson.

15 thousand people felt the thrill of this rising young talent when Ryan appeared before a live audience at the Opening Concert of the Tamworth Country Music Festival at Bicentennial Park in January this year.

Pushing the boundary Ryan takes his career into another mode when he releases his debut album and a film clip shortly.

Recorded at Fat Track Studios in Tamworth in April his first single ‘Super Cool Croc' is co-written with Suzanne Wale.

Born to be an entertainer Ryan Sampson likes to have fun. He’s ‘a Larrikin’ who can still bring a tear to many an eye with his emotive delivery of a ballad.

‘I like to get the feel of a song and interpret it in a unique way. I love to play around with the arrangement of a song so that it suits me and my voice. It makes it unique’ he explains.

Growing up in Tamworth NSW Ryan’s childhood was filled with country music. Introduced to the music of local and international artists by his parents at the age of five he soon discovered the charisma and magic of many of his favourite artists.

Ryan understood early that entertainment is an art form full of perception, aura and natural ability. As a novice he refined that ability on the South East Queensland Festival circuit. Excelling in 2004 when he was named Overall Junior Qld Champion of Champion and just one year later claimed Senior Qld Champion of Champions and automatic entry into the 2006 Toyota Star Maker – the prestigious quest that helps launch many of today’s leading country stars by giving them firm professional support through the early development of their careers.

It worked for Ryan. He made the Grand Finals reaping rewards as an emerging artist confident of producing the ‘goods’.

His experience attending the 2002 and the 2005 Tamworth Camerata Junior College of Country Music cemented his achievements in 2006.

A graduate and scholarship holder of last year’s CMAA College of Australian Country Music he won the Overall Bundaberg Rum Jazzer Quest in the same month and was invited as a return guest to Tamworth’s Buttercup Open House, appeared on Jim Haynes Bush Brekky Show at Tamworth’s Hats Off Winter Festival in June and at major 2006 festivals throughout Australia including the Gympie Muster and received invitations to Urban Country Music Spectacular, Charters Towers CM Festival and South Australian Champion of Champions.

Performing in New Zealand and gaining his first international exposure Ryan was named Male Vocalist of the Year accepting NZ’s highest honour - the NZ Gold Guitar Award and an invitation to appear at their Bay of Islands CM Festival.

Country music is truly heating up for Ryan and he’s out to prove that anything’s possible.

Ryan releases his first single on NfS’s July distribution - NfS 115. Make sure you get a seat for the CD Launch & Concert during Hats Off - The Pub Tamworth 6 July 2007 9.00pm.

Ryan’s an absolute champion

He’s just about to graduate from Centenary Heights High School, but Toowoomba’s Ryan Sampson has more on his mind than starting his first job or choosing which university to attend.

Last Sunday night at the Kedron Wavell Services Club in Brisbane, Ryan was named the Queensland Champion of Champions, giving him automatic entry into the top 20 finalists of the prestigious Toyota Star Maker Quest in Tamworth.

Ryan’s rendition of We Are Australian and the yodelling favourite, Chime Bells, won approval from the judges and audience but the win was totally unexpected, as he had only just moved from the junior ranks of the competition after winning the Junior Queensland Champion of Champions title in 2004.

He has secured a highly prized scholarship to the CMAA Australian College of Country Music, to be held in Tamworth in January 2006 and a number of guest appearances at festivals all over Australasia including the 2006 Gympie Muster, 2006 Charters Towers Music Festival, 2006 Urban Country Music Spectacular, 2006 South Australian Champion of Champions, 2006 Bay of Islands Country Rock Festival in New Zealand, 2006 New Zealand Gold Guitar Awards, 2006 Tamworth Country Music Festival and the Ipswich Festival Country Music Showcase.

“To win the overall Ellaways Queensland Champion of Champions is absolutely amazing,” Ryan said.

“I’m really looking forward to being kept busy travelling to all the different festivals to do guest spots.”

Ryan grew up in Tamworth and had early performances at the Tamworth Festival from the age of six – so for the talented young man, this year’s win in Champs is the pinnacle of his musical achievements.

To reach this point, Ryan has been assisted by a raft of people, who have nurtured and encouraged him along his musical journey including various vocal and instrumental teachers in Tamworth (Todd Potter) and Taree (Ron Unicomb and Val Audet).

When Ryan moved to Toowoomba five years ago with his family he received outstanding assistance from local teachers Natalie and John Atkins, Cathy Drummond, Janelle Duane, Fiona Myatt and Gary Poole.

His heart is now set on a country music career path and Tamworth 2006 could be the start of that dream for this young man with the vocal style that turns heads.
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