Ryan Griffin

Florida's Ryan Griffin is an emotive singer/songwriter with a sound that straddles contemporary country, adult contemporary pop, and R&B. After co-writing Kelsea Ballerini's 2015 chart-topper "Dibs," he launched his own career as a recording artist with a string of singles and EPs including 2017's Sake of the Summer and 2020's Name on It.

Interested in music from a young age, Griffin grew up listening to his parents' Vince Gill and George Strait records. By his teens he was also imbibing an eclectic mix of artists from Keith Urban to Brian McKnight, as well as writing and performing his own songs. After high school, he attended Nashville's Belmont University, where he continued to perform and hone his craft. During his senior year, he took an internship at Broken Bow Records and serendipitously nabbed a position as Jason Aldean's tour manager. With a deeper understanding of what it takes to make it in the country music industry, Griffin returned to Belmont, finished out his degree, and began working in earnest at building his career. He signed a publishing deal with Dan Hodges Music and in 2015 helped score a number one hit for Kelsea Ballerini after co-penning the song "Dibs." In 2017 Griffin delivered his debut EP, Sake of the Summer, which was anchored by the single "Back Seats & Burnt CDs." Over the next couple of years, his output consisted largely of singles including "Play It by Heart" and "Best Cold Beer," after which he delivered his second EP, Name on It. Continuing to balance playful country songwriting with a pop feel, Griffin returned in 2021 with "Salt, Lime & Tequila" and "Mama's Boy." ~ Matt Collar