Few would-be recording artists have the confidence or wherewith… Read Full Bio ↴THE BAND
Few would-be recording artists have the confidence or wherewithal to enter the mainstream music business on their own terms. The nature of today’s consolidated label structure and clogged mass media channels forces most struggling bands to jump at the first opportunity they see -- if they see one at all.
This hyper-Darwinian environment makes the nine-year saga of newly minted Capitol Nashville recording artists Ryan Shupe & the Rubberband that much more intriguing. And it is an affirmation for all those who still believe in music’s ability to rise above the impossibly long odds offered by the high-stakes recording industry.
Not only did the band, and only the band, play their own instruments on their new Capitol Records CD, Dream Big, they finished the CD – completely – before even stepping foot into a record label conference room. By making their own disc before signing a contract, they never had to adhere to the edicts of record label execs or go through the standard A&R process of choosing label approved songs and producers. They did it on their own and on their own terms.
THE RUBBERBAND
Like his bandmates, Ryan Shupe began playing music at a very early age. A second generation fiddle player, he started playing at age five and was soon performing professionally and touring nationally with a group called the PeeWee Pickers. He still plays a fiddle he found in his great aunt’s closet.
After years of playing in other bands, Ryan Shupe found that getting gigs in and around Salt Lake City wasn't as a difficult as keeping a group together. After years of fronting bands which inevitably split, Shupe decided to form the RubberBand so he could enlist a rotating group of musicians on a gig-by-gig basis and never have a group “break up.” His plan didn’t exactly work, however. One by one, the temporary sidemen began to stick, fusing into the close-knit final incarnation that exists today.
“I’ve known Ryan for roughly 20 years,” says banjo player Craig Miner. “He and I both played in bands as kids - different bands in different parts of the state but the music world was so tight knit we knew each other.” Miner started playing music on a Ukelele bought at a garage sale and continued to adding instruments to his repertoire which now includes guitar, mandolin and bouzouki. He even hand crafts most all of his own instruments.
Guitarist Roger Archibald began playing guitar at age 11 against the backdrop of Black Sabbath and Metallica blaring from his older brothers’ stereos and later worked as a musician in the same regional music circuit. “I used to be in a band with Ryan’s sister and when he started looking for a guitar player to start his new band, he asked me to learn some songs. It gelled and we really worked well together so I continued to play with the band and eventually became one of his main players.”
Shupe found he attracted like-minded players with a high level of musicianship principally because of his own virtuosity.
“I played fiddle from the age of eight so I have some appreciation for a good fiddle player,” says drummer Bart Olson. “My first impression of Ryan was, ‘This guy’s a prodigy.’” Olson could be described the same way. He grew up in a musical environment playing with his award-winning family band, “The Olson Family Fiddlers” and later picking up the drums as his favorite instrument. “I thought the band’s sound was really intriguing, continues Olson. “We have that element of improvisation which is cool. I've always liked music that breathed a little more and had that quality of musicianship to it.”
Bass player Colin Botts, a native of San Francisco, is the group’s newest member and its fourth multi-instrumentalist. He began his musical path on a drum at age two, gradually learning violin and piano at age eight before picking up the bass guitar in the 6th grade. Before college, he played bass in jazz bands (even earning the prestigious Louis Armstrong Jazz Award) and percussion in symphonic bands. “Bart, Craig and I had played together and I had played a festival in Utah where Ryan and the band played so we all kind of knew each other,” says Botts. “They brought me in to work on arranging some new songs. They wanted to see if I’d be able to contribute and it fit.”
“You have to love playing music and that's why I like all these guys,” Shupe says. "Everybody just loves it. If any of us were in it to be famous or make money, I don’t think it would have worked.”
THE DEAL
Amazingly, the band had never considered radio formats or genres so figuring out which labels to approach was an issue. “We didn't think that much about where we belonged,” Shupe says. “We were just playing music. When the time came, I really felt like Nashville was the place for us. Aside from the music, the lifestyle and values, they have helped us feel right at home.”
“We all play acoustic instruments and our songs fit better there, philosophically,” adds Miner. “On a personal level, the people, fans and other musicians are very much like we are.”
Having an established following and regional success put the band among a small but illustrious group of performers who have been able to set their own parameters -- The Dave Matthews Band, country’s Pat Green and Hootie & The Blowfish, to name a few.
“We had Nashville producers interested from early on but they all wanted to change things, add things or supply the songs,” says Botts. “To which we were all opposed.”
Meeting Nashville producer and songwriter Jason Deere proved to be a breakthrough. “With Jason we got the vibe that he understood what we were doing,” Miner says. “So we got together and made a high quality album to be delivered to a label as finished product. When it was done we took it around to the labels and did conference room performances. We found the perfect match with Capitol.”
That kind of creative freedom for a newly-signed recording artist is almost unheard of. “What's shaped this band is a desire to put on a good show and provide positive and entertaining music for our fans,” Botts says. “It's been a natural evolution born mainly out of a lot of playing. It isn't like anyone came in and said, ‘This is what you need to do.’”
walk the walk
Ryan Shupe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wait and see you better believe you're gonna need yourself a raft
Then it started rainin' and the people were complainin'
Sink or swim I can't let you in you should have listened when I said
You've got to walk the walk, talk the talk
You've got to live the word, you've got to live the faith,
You've got to live the things the Lord has taught you
You've got to live the word, you've got to live the faith,
You've got to live the things Jesus taught
Alma he was preachin' against the holy church
But the angel come and he struck him dumb and he fell down to the earth
The priests they fast and prayed for him for two days and two nights
And then he woke up and he jumped up and said I've seen the light
Jonah tried to escape the Lord by sailing across the sea
But the sailors threw him overboard he got ate by a big fishy
From the belly he prayed now Lord I understand
Then the fish spit him up right up on dry land
The lyrics of Ryan Shupe & The Rubberband's song "Walk The Walk" are a powerful and thought-provoking commentary on the importance of living one's faith and convictions in a world that often mocks and ridicules those who do so. The song draws on several biblical stories to illustrate this point, including the story of Noah and the ark, Alma and his encounter with the angel, and Jonah's dramatic journey.
In the first verse, Shupe sings about Noah and how he was mocked and ridiculed for his belief that the world would be destroyed by a flood. Despite this, Noah persevered and built an ark, and when the flood came, he and his family were saved. The message here is clear: we must have faith in what we believe, even when others doubt us.
The second verse tells the story of Alma, a prophet in the Book of Mormon who preached against the established church of his time. He was struck dumb by an angel as a punishment, but after two days of fasting and prayer, he was restored to his former state. This story illustrates the importance of repentance and redemption.
Finally, in the third verse, Shupe sings about Jonah and his attempt to escape from God's calling. He is thrown overboard by sailors and swallowed by a large fish, but ultimately he repents and is saved. This story is a reminder that we cannot outrun our responsibilities and must answer the call of our faith.
Overall, "Walk The Walk" is a powerful reminder to live our faith and walk the walk as well as talk the talk. It encourages us to have the courage to stand up for what we believe, even when it's difficult or unpopular.
Line by Line Meaning
Noah said let's build an ark and the people they just laughed
Noah instructed the people to construct an ark as a preparation for a coming storm, but people refused to follow his advice and laughed at him
Wait and see you better believe you're gonna need yourself a raft
People who disregard warnings will eventually face the consequences and need to find a way to survive
Then it started rainin' and the people were complainin'
When the storm finally arrived, the people started to complain about their situation
Sink or swim I can't let you in you should have listened when I said
If you don't prepare ahead of time, you will have to bear the consequences and face the result of your choice. You had the option to listen and prepare but ignored it.
You've got to walk the walk, talk the talk
One cannot just talk about doing the right thing; they must also take action to back up their words
You've got to live the word, you've got to live the faith,
Living a faith-based life involves practicing the lessons you learn as well as keeping faith in those teachings
You've got to live the things the Lord has taught you
It is one's duty to implement the teachings of the Lord in everyday life
Alma he was preachin' against the holy church
Alma was speaking out against traditional religious establishments and doctrines
But the angel come and he struck him dumb and he fell down to the earth
An angel silenced Alma and humbled him for his actions
The priests they fast and prayed for him for two days and two nights
Alma's fellow religious leaders held a fast and prayed to help him see the error of his ways
And then he woke up and he jumped up and said I've seen the light
Alma had an epiphany and saw the wisdom in the teachings that he had been criticizing
Jonah tried to escape the Lord by sailing across the sea
Jonah attempted to flee from his responsibilities to the Lord by departing via the sea
But the sailors threw him overboard he got ate by a big fishy
The sailors rejected Jonah's efforts to avoid his fate and threw him overboard, leading to his being swallowed by a fish
From the belly he prayed now Lord I understand
While trapped inside the fish, Jonah reflects on his past choices and realizes the importance of fulfilling his responsibilities to the Lord
Then the fish spit him up right up on dry land
Once Jonah recognized the error of his ways and vowed to fulfill his responsibilities, he was saved and returned safely to shore
Contributed by Nicholas K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Amy Shill
the real fun begins at min 3:50 true talent right there!
noobsybot71
Do you remember playing in Fort Myers, Florida @ Ricochet? The club that was next to the Kmart? Sadly both the club and the Kmart are both no longer in operation. But you guys were awesome. When are ya going to come back?