Ryan States was born in Chicago. He toured thirteen years with Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey in the circus band. He has performed over 3000 shows in the Ringling Brothers band for millions of circus fans in sold out arenas from LA’s Staples Center to Chicago's United Center and Houston's Reliant Stadium. Recordings of his playing have been heard on the Today Show, Good Morning America, Fox and Friends, national parade broadcasts, DVDs, and commercials. 

States had a project studio in his living quarters on the circus train. He is a multi-instrumentalist who pioneered long-distance online collaboration with other musicians. Strange Town is the first album ever made on a train. 

He has appeared on Queer Voices (Pacifica Radio Houston), This Way Out, The Dallas Voice, The Chicago Tribune Redeye, OutRadio, and Mashable. States was a nominee in the 2014 Pensado Awards and the 2013 RightOut TV awards, along with being a presenter.  

States' background began as a piano accompanist. He studied at the University of North Texas under Dr. Jack Roberts, Head of the piano department. His teacher/student 'lineage' traces back to Franz Liszt. He has gigged in musical theater, cover bands, and toured as a sub with Vince Vance & the Valiants.  

His older brothers were deejays in Chicago in the '80s. At age thirteen States worked as a roadie and then began running the board. Soon he was booking his own school dances, private parties and wedding receptions.

Chris Robley is a poet, songwriter, and producer whose lush, orchestral indie-pop has been praised by NPR, the LA Times, the Boston Globe, and others. Skyscraper Magazine said he is “one of the best short-story musicians to come along in quite some time.”

Robley’s poetry has been published or is forthcoming in POETRY Magazine, Prairie Schooner, Poetry Northwest, Beloit Poetry Journal, RHINO, Magma Poetry, and more. He is the winner of Boulevard’s 2013 Poetry Prize for Emerging Writers and a 2014 recipient of the Maine Literary Award for poetry.

News short-order cook, East Providence, RI

I write soundtrack and electronic music, and I'm seeking opportunities for collaboration (vocalists, projects etc). Give me a shout if you're interested!

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