I met with singer-songwriter, Ryan Peters, at Bistro 19 in York, PA, over Thanksgiving weekend. Ryan is a native of the York area and is currently residing in Annapolis, MD, where he teaches fifth grade. Do not let Mr. Peters fool you, though—music is not a hobby he fools around with between grading papers and lesson planning. He has been in the music industry for more than 10 years, and his story is an interesting one. Not too long into my time with him, I felt myself quickly derailing from my original interview intent—to learn more about his musical style, his inspiration, you know the drill. Learning of Ryan’s various travels, both geographically and musically, I became more interested in the travails of his musical evolution than I did with the technicalities. Hearing him be heartfelt and honest about all aspects of the music “industry,” as it is unfortunately titled, made me realize just how important it is to have musicians like Ryan in our company and music community.

EM: So, Ryan. I’ve talked to a lot of different local musicians, and I’m always interested in learning about how artists get into music, what it is that motivates them, as well as what gives them pause to consider choosing this life as a means of making a living. What are your biggest frustrations with the music business?

RP: I think it’s really hard to find a good community among other musicians—people that really support you and can be there for you, who aren’t selfish and just trying to figure out how they can use you to push themselves ahead.

EM: Do you have any good examples of people who you feel are creating a good community in this area?

RP: My friend who comes out and plays percussion for me is a good one. For Clint, it’s just about the music. He’s just really into it for that reason alone and not at all for the money. Rhyne McCormick, who I’m playing with tonight, is also a great guy. I can tell that he really works hard with other musicians in the area and is a part of trying to create that community.

EM: I agree that it is hard to find solid people who are honest and hard-working in any field, but it especially seems like you come by a lot of people in the music industry who have lost what the point of all of it is. Have you found that to be true?

RP: Absolutely. To me, music is much bigger than just music, and it takes a long time to understand that. It’s so much bigger than what people think it is. I think people can get selfish and turn it into something else. I heard the greatest thing in Nashville, even if it is kind of a sad statement—there are a lot of depressed people in Nashville.

EM: I think you find that a lot in the arts, though.

RP: Yeah, it seems like a lot of artists struggle with it, and maybe it has to do with what the industry seems to do to some people, I don’t know. But this thing I heard in Nashville, “It doesn’t make sense, the music industry, and you weren’t invited.” Ever since I heard it, I’ve really paid attention to that. And I realize that’s what this can feel like if you don’t find that community. For example, when I was setting this show up, I talked to Rhyne and he just happened to have this night open, so we set it up together. I feel like music should be a brotherhood like that. It should be about working with other musicians in your community to create something for everybody, not just for yourselves.

EM: I’ve seen it too. Some musicians—and it doesn’t always matter how long they’ve been in the music industry—are quick to turn on a friend or mentor if it’s going to get them ahead. But I feel like there are definitely some exceptions to that rule around this area. There are a lot of people like you who seem to get that there’s more to it than just the bottom line and selfish motivation.

RP: Well, it’s hard. It’s hard to find that brotherhood—the people that get what it’s all about. It was really hard to find that when I was doing music as my full-time career. Right now I’m teaching 5th grade down in Maryland. I live in Annapolis. But I took some time off from that a while back and just went for it full force. It was great, but I saw a lot of those kinds of people who lost their passion for the music and made it more about the business and the money.

EM: So is that why you decided to stop doing it as your full-time career?

RP: Well, the reason I got into it is because I became totally obsessed with the guitar while I was teaching. I’d come home from work and play 5 hours straight on the guitar. It just became my life. I started gigging—I was living in Hawaii at the time—after my third year living there with a good friend of mine, Josh Sandman. So that last year of teaching I was gigging in Waikiki with Josh. He’s got a cool company called Song and Film, and I’ve been doing some stuff with him on that. He’s placed a few of my songs in some shows and films and that has been really cool. He’s definitely one of those guys who is somebody who is a part of that brotherhood.

EM: So that’s when you decided to do music full-time? Because you became totally consumed?
RP: Yeah, that’s pretty much how that happened. Teaching during the day and gigging at night was too hard. I did music full-time for about 3 years.

EM: And you decided to stop because…

RP: I just got so tired. The industry can sometimes kill your fire because of how much of it has to be about business at times. I still have that fire inside of me and I love being able to pick up my guitar and write, though.

EM: I know what you mean. I do a little creative writing on my own, and as much as I’d love to do it full time, there’s a part of me that appreciates having that time to write as an escape from the other things that I have going on in my life.

RP: Yeah, exactly. I need to be writing more—that’s the thing. It’s harder to make the time to do it. But that fire is still there, you know? As long as that fire is still inside me, I know I’ll keep at it.

EM: I believe you will, and I look forward to it.

RP: Me too.

To get a closer look into Ryan Peters and his music, visit his website www.ryanpetersmusic.com. His 5-song EP, Uprooted, is available for purchase on iTunes.