Matthew Ryan (born Ryan Webb; November 7, 1971) is an American musician, singer and songwriter, born in Chester, PA and inspired by such artists as U2, The Replacements, and Leonard Cohen; he logged several years in a series of bands before signing with A&M Records as a solo artist in 1996. No Depression magazine has described him as, “Equal parts Springsteen, Westerberg and Ryan Adams, Ryan is a powerhouse of a storyteller for almost two decades. A forefather of the Alt-country scene, Ryan has yet to receive as much commercial success as some of his contemporaries.” Ryan is known for his ”hushed rasp, with words catching like vows destined to be broken – one of modern music's most potent whispers."