John Ryan (songwriter)

Early life[edit]

Ryan is from Pittsford, New York.^[1] He grew up the youngest in his family with his mother, older brother Joe, and older sister Julie.^[1] Ryan wrote his first song in third grade, learning to play guitar and piano at a young age.^[1] He continued to write throughout his childhood, even making an album in eighth grade that he was selling out of his locker.^[1] By the time he was 16 or 17, he remembers having to choose between music and sports and states that "music came the most naturally and made [him] the happiest."^[1] He sent his only college application to Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. During his time at Berklee, Ryan learned music theory, fronted two bands, and continued to write his own material. He also spent the latter half of his college years learning to produce pop, hip hop, and alternative music. Ryan was lead guitarist for classmate Isom Innis' project, Southern Belle.^[2]


During his junior year, Ryan visited a few friends in Los Angeles, and met Damon Bunetta, who later became his manager, at a party.^[1] They exchanged numbers, ideas, and kept in contact. At the time, Damon, his brother Julian Bunetta, and their father Peter Bunetta were expanding their company, Family Affair Productions, and were looking to add another producer/artist/writer to the team.^[1] After graduating from Berklee in 2010, Ryan moved to Los Angeles to begin his career as an artist and producer.^[1]