Former Straight No Chaser singer goes solo

Local singer-songwriter Ryan Ahlwardt has been creating quite the buzz around Bloomington. He is working on finishing his first album featuring his track "I Can See Forever." Ahlwardt hopes the album will be released later this year, but for now, he's still working on trying to "get the fun I have on stage onto a CD. It's got that live feel." \nAhlwardt began his course to fame while he was a student at IU and a member of the a capella group Straight No Chaser, but his passion for music began long before his college years. In high school, Ryan was an active participant in many creative arts and performing arts programs, including choir, and has been playing the same Fender acoustic guitar since ninth grade.\nAfter graduating from IU's Kelley School of Business with a degree in marketing, Ahlwardt spent six months working on Celebrity Cruise Ships with fellow graduates Darnell Perkins and Eugene McGnee, two colleagues from Straight No Chaser. Together, the trio performed oldies in an a capella format.\n"It was great," Ahlwardt said. "We had so much downtime between performances … we'd write music all the time." Following his six month international career as a cruise ship performer, Ahlwardt, Perkins and McGnee returned to Bloomington and formed the Mitchell Street Band, promising to deliver "tight, loud, in your face" performances, Ahlwardt said. Despite Ryan's success as a Mitchell Street Band member, he decided to go solo in late 2004, though he still collaborates with Perkins and McGnee and hopes to eventually tour with them.\n"Going solo seemed like the right decision," Ahlwardt said. "I really feel like I'm doing what I should be doing." \nBeing a solo act "really lets my personality shine through my music," he said. "I love seeing the audience response … when you can tell people are listening, when you can share your music and have it register with them, there's nothing like it."\nAhlwardt said he grew up listening to James Taylor, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and the Eagles. He said he tries to put his own twist on acoustic sound with a pop feel. \n"I hate that term (pop), but I guess that's what it is," Ahlwardt said. "It's not just having a great song its getting it out there." \nOnline communities and his marketing degree have helped him promote his music, Ahlwardt said. \n"Facebook and MySpace have helped a lot," he said. "I'm slightly addicted."\nAhlwardt said all his music comes from life experiences \n"I people watch," he said. "My lyrics come from everyday conversations and me wondering what other people are thinking … I'm always talking into my phone recorder and writing phrases down.\n"When a listener can take one of my songs and make it their own, that's what I want to achieve."\nFor performance times and updates on Ryan's album, visit his Web site at www.ryanahlwardt.com.