  matthew ryan (born ryan webb; november 7, 1971) is an american alternative country singer-songwriter. ryan has also collaborated with neilson hubbard to form the band strays don't sleep. ryan's voice has been described as a "hushed rasp, with words catching like vows destined to be broken - one of modern music's most potent whispers."no depression magazine jan/feb 2007 issue like the jayhawks, son volt and other artists from the late 1990s alternative country scene, ryan has a dedicated following but only limited commercial success. ==career== ===may day=== matthew ryan arrived on the music scene in 1997 with may day, his first record. the album was released on a&m and reflected the influences of tom waits, the waterboys and bruce springsteen. a video was made for "guilty". the album is considered a classic of the genre.http://archives.nodepression.com/1997/11/matthew-ryan-mayday/ - no depression archives ===east autumn grin=== east autumn grin, ryan's second record, was released in 2000.http://archives.nodepression.com/2000/09/autumn-of-discontent/ no depression the album failed to become the commercial success the label had hoped, and ryan was dropped. ===concussion=== after being dropped by interscope records ryan started working on demo material with david henry. the material was stark and bare, concussion was recorded and mixed in 8 days with richard mclaurin. it was released in 2001 on nashville, tennessee label waxysilver and features a duet with lucinda williams. ryan was asked by actor/director edward burns to contribute a song to his film ash wednesday. "be thou my vision" was used on the [[
1971_births American_alternative_country_singers American_country_singers American_male_singers American_singer-songwriters Living_people Musicians_from_Pennsylvania People_from_Chester,_Pennsylvania