Ryan T. Briggs
Musician; Accounting, 2007
Take a twist of bluegrass, a shot of blues, add an infusion of "'redneck hippie" and that's the style of Ryan T Briggs.
From Buddy Holly to Waylon Jennings, the cities of West Texas have been the birthplace and inspiration of many musical careers. Ryan T. Briggs is no exception.
The 2001 graduate was named "Rising Star of the Year" by the 2007 Texas Music Awards. This award comes on the heels of the success of Briggs' debut album, released in 2006.
"More and more lately, wherever we play, folks have heard of us," Briggs said with a laugh. "And we're finally getting a little radio play."
Briggs' style of music has been described as country music with a "twist of grass and a shot of blues."
"I can remember being a little kid in my parents' 1970s van listening to Willie Nelson and Kenny Rogers," Briggs said. "In Texas, you can't escape country music, especially at college in Lubbock. We spent most of our time listening to country. Once you bring a guitar into that picture, it's only natural to be driven to play in that style."