Clayton Ryan is an alternative country-ish singer who has called the Midwest home for much of his life, building his craft on stages from Iowa to South Dakota and now Minnesota. Known for his gritty yet heartfelt style, Clayton’s music has been compared to artists like Liam St. John, The White Buffalo, and Shawn James. His debut album Ghost Town has been streamed over 100,000 times, with the title track landing on The Current’s “Top 89 Tracks of 2024.” His Whiskey Jam debut in Nashville even included one of only a handful of encores in the showcase’s 1000+ show history. Since 2024, Clayton has toured more than 75 dates across the country while documenting the hustle of a DIY artist through his YouTube series With The Wild Man. Balancing humor and hard work, Clayton proudly embraces life as a full-time independent musician.

Hometown: Rapid City, SD (by way of Winterset, IA)

Primary Instrument: A well-worn Taylor that sounds like a Martin

Influences: Slaid Cleaves, Chris Whitley, Tanya Tucker, Imagine Dragons

Signature Song: Ghost Town

First Performance: Various stages and dive bars across Iowa and South Dakota.

Biggest Musical Achievement: His debut album Ghost Town surpassing 100,000 streams and earning recognition on The Current’s “Top 89 Tracks of 2024”.

Dream Collaboration: Lainey Wilson

Favorite Lyric: “Yeah” (sung in an Eddie Vedder voice)

Fun Fact: His right leg is longer than his left.