by Travis Switalski, Sr.
Ryan Weaver is this generation of country music performers’ version of the great Kris Kristofferson, who also served as an Army Aviator before his career took off in the late 60s. Weaver is a former Army intelligence analyst, recruiter and aviator. He recently performed at Bridgestone Arena with Charlie Daniels in Nashville for The Journey Home Project and in Colorado at the Castle Rock Freedom Fest for The American Soldier Network, the former of which Charlie Daniels serves as chairman of the board. Ryan’s work with charity organizations has put him in company with the likes of not only Daniels but also Ted Nugent.
Weaver’s service coupled with his own personal loss fuels his passion for veterans and active duty service members. Ryan’s older brother Aaron Weaver, a US Army Ranger and survivor of the Battle of Mogadishu, later became an Army aviator was killed in a blackhawk helicopter crash in January 2004. Ryan’s brother-in-law, also an Army aviator, was killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan in December 2013. Ryan attributes his motivation and success to their sacrifice.
“I started chasing this dream when Aaron was KIA, and I have been going after it full force. My brother-in-law, CW2 Randy Billings, was also KIA on December 17th in Afghanistan, and it gave me even more motivation to continue on this path. Their sacrifices inspire me daily to keep chasing my dreams. After all, it is their sacrifices and many others like theirs that have given me the ability to do so.”
Ryan feels like his military experience has helped him to have the discipline to stay on track and move toward his ultimate goals.
“I’ve done the best I can to become a mainstream country music artist, and quite honestly, I haven’t written or recorded too many military focused songs. My live performances always bring out my military background, as I made a promise to myself to speak about my brothers every time I stepped on stage. I can say that my drive to be successful and discipline to keep my head screwed on straight definitely came from my military background. I have seen and heard so many stories of artists straying from the path to success, inevitably not finding the result they are looking for. Timeliness, conducting myself in a professional manner, a constant focus on moving to the next level, the ability to adapt to ever-changing circumstances, an eagerness to learn and grow, keeping a never quit attitude… all of these things are important in the music business, and the Army helped me develop those character traits.”
Weaver relies on personal experiences and the experiences of others to write the lyrics to his songs. There are things in particular that precipitated some of the lyrics and style in his music
“When I write or choose songs to record from other writers, I definitely incorporate my experiences as well as those of my co-writers. I believe in singing songs that are real, songs that make me feel good, songs that connect with the audience. I call my style of music ‘All-American rockin’ country.’ Quite honestly, I didn’t grow up listening to country music, and I didn’t grow up driving around in pick-up trucks on dirt roads. As a kid I remember listening to my oldest brother Steve playing Journey, The Eagles, Steve Miller band, etc. My tastes changed as I grew up, and I was big in to pop music and 80s rock. I started listening to country music and fell in love with it at my first duty station at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. I would say melodically, my music is an infusion of 80s rock and country music, and lyrically… that’s where the All-American comes in.”
When asked how he felt music could influence public perceptions about military service, Ryan had this to say:
“One of the things I noticed when I started going after this dream on active duty was the level of talent and musicianship that there was at Ft. Rucker alone. My first band was military from the Ft. Rucker band. Those guys were some of the most incredibly talented musicians I have played with. One of the coolest things I was able to do with the actual Ft. Rucker Army band was a high school tour. They were expecting an orchestra type performance, and we blew the doors off every school we went to with a high energy rockin’ concert. Music broke down any barriers there may have been before we went to every school.”
Ryan has high hopes for the future, and he should, considering his immense talent and the company that he is in. He recently completed his B.S. Degree in Aeronautics, with a minor in Management with a 4.0 GPA from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. Ryan also made his Grand Ole Opry Debut on September 11th, 2015.
“The goal is to fill stadiums with the crowd singing my songs, [and] working with the Charlie Daniels camp on future advancements in my career.”
You can follow Ryan on the following social media platforms and websites:
www.facebook.com/ryanweavercountry
Ryan would also like readers to visit The Journey Home website at
Military Experience & the Arts 
You must be logged in to post a comment.