Ryan Madora bio

With a formidable start and an informal education on the Philadelphia blues scene, Ryan studied Music Business and Communications at New York University. 

Since moving to Nashville in 2012, she has had the privilege of working with some of the world’s most talented artists and producers, including ZAYN, Jenny Lewis, Robben Ford, Allison Russell, Molly Tuttle, Bobby Bones and The Raging Idiots, Girl Named Tom, Pat McLaughlin, Kyshona Armstrong, Alicia Michilli, Lamont Dozier, and many others. She takes pride in genre hoping and knowing how to bring tasteful elegance to every song.

In addition to local gigs and sessions, she is an avid educator and has taught at Victor Wooten’s Bass Nature Camp, Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp, Gerald Veasley’s Bass Boot Camp, and Musicians Institute: Guitar Craft Academy.

Thanks to good fortune, exciting phone calls, and many hours of practice, she has backed up artists such as Garth Brooks, Darius Rucker, Jason Isbell, Lady Antebellum, Luke Bryan, Marren Morris, Hanson, and Robert Randolph. Ryan has served as Musical Director for the annual “Bobby Bones and the Raging Idiots Million Dollar Show at The Ryman” to benefit St. Jude’s and has made appearances on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th seasons of the hit TV show “Nashville.”

When she’s not performing, you can find her writing columns, crafting book ideas, and developing educational resources. She has contributed columns and video lessons to the online bass magazine, No Treble since 2011 and served as a monthly contributor to Bass Player Magazine from 2020 through 2022.

In 2019, she published her first book, Bass Players To Know: Learning From The Greats, and is currently scheming for “part two.”

Ryan was voted “6th Best Bassist of 2020” by Bass Player Magazine/Music Radar.