Biography
Ryan Waczek (born March 13, 1992), better known by his stage name Tommy Ryan, is an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter. In addition to his solo act, Waczek has also worked as the lead singer, lead guitarist, and principal songwriter of the short-lived rock band For Venice, an extension of the project Daylight Breaking.
Born and raised in San Diego, California, Waczek discovered his interest in music at a very young age. His father, also his music teacher, introduced him to his first instrument – his voice. Eventually, Waczek learned how to play several instruments, most notably the saxophone, piano, guitar, and drum set.
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As a high school sophomore, Waczek and his friend formed the band Daylight Breaking, which eventually became the more well-known band For Venice. The band frequently performed at local venues, schools, and festivals. Although Waczek achieved moderate success with For Venice, he viewed the project as preparation for his professional career; with his newfound experience in arranging rock music and managing a performing act, Waczek dissolved the band in time to attend college.
In addition to his pursuit of a percussion degree at Cal Poly SLO, Waczek has released his first solo album under the stage name Tommy Ryan. Using different arrangements of his songs from earlier projects as well as new originals, the album, entitled “Tommy Ryan – EP,” was released to the public in 2011. Tommy Ryan regularly performs at venues near the Cal Poly SLO campus and intends on forming a lasting rock band with his fellow music majors.
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.