Spotify

Spotify friends: I'm now a verified Spotify artist. 

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7nj0XDL5pi9oRYhJv6nxkO

Christmas 2017 Gift Ideas

Dear friends,
Seasons Greetings to all of you!    If you are searching for a little extra Christmas musical gift or stocking stuffer idea this time of year.  I have a number of music CD, download and book ideas available, as well as some other Christmas projects I've been blessed to be a part of.  Links below:

Music:

Ryan Sheeler CDs:  https://store.cdbaby.com/Artist/RyanSheeler

Hannah Rae Bird "Believe" Christmas CD: https://www.facebook.com/HannahRaeBirdMusic/

Sarah Beisser Ling "Love Is Waiting" Christmas CD:  https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/sarahbeisser


Books:

"From Bakersfield to Beale Street: A Regional History of American Rock 'n' Roll"  https://www.amazon.com/Bakersfield-Beale-Street-Regional-American/dp/075755928X/

"Playing for Eternity: Resource Guide for the Electric Guitarist in Worship":  https://www.amazon.com/Playing-Eternity-Resource-Electric-Guitarist/dp/1492275344

All the best wishes for a wonderful and blessed Christmas, Ryan

Rain Down - 10 years

Ten years ago today since Virginia Tech. And like everyone, I struggled to make sense of what I was seeing on the news reports that day and the days after. "Rain Down" is the song that came out of those times. It's one I wrote with a friend of mine as we tried untangle the feelings we all were wrestling with during those days. I don't play this one live very much; it's tough one to do for several reasons. But I'm thankful that God saw fit to let this come down through our music. God uses our brokenness to make beautiful things.

The Case for Christ - Holy Week reflections 2017

Holy Week reflections - The research and ministry of Lee Strobel has had a big impact on me over the years. Strobel is an avowed atheist who holds degrees in journalism and law, worked as a crime reporter for the Chicago Tribune. When his wife became a Christian, he went on a long crusade to disprove Christianity by researching as much of the direct and circumstantial evidence for the death and reserruction of Jesus that he could find, believing that the facts would validate his findings and he could disprove Christianity. The end result was that instead of being driven further away, he had to admit to himself that the evidence was so compelling that he had to believe. I've chewed on Strobel's writings over the years, and return to them every once in a while, and I'm pointed to fresh things in the Lord through them all the time.

"We all bet our lives on something, the question is: what's it going to be?"

"If Jesus is to be believed - and I realize that may be a big *if* for you at this point - then nothing is more important than you respond to him,"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=On6RM27qSFc

new band: The Rag Doll Incident

starting up a new band with some friends of mine this spring.

http://www.rdiband.com/

Chicago the Musical - Ames tour stop, Feb 2017

Just last weekend,  I had the amazing opportunity to play banjo, mandolin, and ukulele for the national tour of Chicago when it came through Ames on Feb. 24-26.   I was part of a group of musicians from Ames and Des Moines.   Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George was excellent as Billy Flynn.   Rob Bowman was the tour music director.   We got to work with a great cast and crew.   An experience I'll remember for a long time!  :)

http://chicagothemusical.com/

Happy New Year 2017

Made it through another year - 2016 was an up-and-down year for me.  Between the end of the Box Brothers, some surgeries and my book project.  I tried to keep a lower profile.   Got some new ideas cooking for the new year.  Stay tuned.