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Singer songwriter

Home
About Ryan
Words
Listen & Buy
Tour
Contact

Tour

JAN 31 2026
Arts Council of Ladysmith & District Presents
Live at Aggie Hall
*duo show*
LADYSMITH, BC

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Latest Words

There She Is
Update from the Kitchen
Memoirs + more
Finale for Now
Learning to Shine: 25 Years in Music
Driveway: A Canadian Love Song

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Albums (19)
News/Press (16)
On The Road (44)
Updates (61)

About Ryan

Ryan McMahon likes to say he’s a late bloomer. But with seven solo releases, two acclaimed albums
with his folk-rock trio Lion Bear Fox, and nearly two decades of touring under his belt, the singer-
songwriter from Ladysmith, British Columbia has more than made up for lost time. His honest,
dynamic blend of folk, Americana, and rock has earned him multiple Vancouver Island Music Awards, sync placements in hit television shows, and tour dates with Canadian icons Burton Cummings and Tom Cochrane.

Born on Vancouver Island, McMahon’s first taste of performing came through impersonations of
Eddie Murphy and Billy Connolly for family gatherings, before discovering his parents’ record
collection of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin, The Everly Brothers, and B.B. King. By high
school he was sneaking into clubs as an underaged performer, honing his craft onstage. A move to
Vancouver led to a decade of small clubs, open mics, and early recordings, culminating in the breakthrough album Weeks Months Years. In 2008 he returned home to the Island, where his 2012
release All Good Stories swept the Vancouver Island Music Awards, winning Album of the Year, Male
Artist of the Year, and Male Vocalist of the Year.
Soon after, McMahon co-founded Lion Bear Fox, a folk-rock powerhouse whose anthems “Shine,”
“Freedom,” and “Going, Going, Gone” helped carry them across Canada, the U.S., and Europe until 2019.

Alongside his solo output, McMahon has become a fixture on the Canadian live circuit, sharing stages
with Lisa Loeb, Brett Kissel, Sean Mullins, Mother Mother, Aaron Pritchett, and Nickelback, along with
supporting national tours with Burton Cummings and Tom Cochrane.

McMahon’s songs have also reached global audiences through sync placements, including
Californication, Chesapeake Shores, and an international Tet Tea campaign. His contributions to
music therapy through the Bandwagon Project; a mobile recording studio created with Music Heals
further underscore his commitment to connection through music.

Following the pandemic, McMahon returned with Live Now (2022–23), an album shaped by hope,
resilience, and collaboration with longtime friend Aaron Pritchett. Its barn-burning lead single “One
More Fire” set the tone for a record McMahon describes as “a reminder to myself of just how rich my life is, and how to dig in and persevere no matter what is going on around me.” Songs like “Lost and
Found” and “A Song Can Change Your Mind” highlighted his evolution as a songwriter, drawing
inspiration from modern Americana voices such as Jason Isbell, Nathaniel Rateliff, Father John Misty,
and Israel Nash.

Now, McMahon enters a new chapter with his single “There She Is” (October 24, 2025).

With a voice that carries both the dust of the road and the warmth of a campfire, McMahon delivers a
song born from heartbreak, solitude, and unexpected reconnection. Written in the wake of personal
upheaval and sparked by the encouragement of a childhood friend, the track captures his raw lyricism
and evocative delivery resonating with anyone seeking love, peace, or a second chance.
Ryan McMahon’s music is raw, heartfelt, and deeply human; crafted with honesty, delivered with soul,
and powered by a voice that’s balanced on that razor’s edge where americana/folk meets rock.

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