Ryan Shupe

Ryan Shupe & the Rubberband produce an elusive sonic identity through the fusion of acoustic textures and off-center lyrics, yielding results that defy easy categorization. Resemblances to Fishbone or the Presidents of the United States of America surface at times, yet the lyrics stay markedly cleaner throughout. The Utah-based group consists of Ryan Shupe handling lead vocals, fiddle, mandolin, and guitar; Wally Barnum on bass; Roger Archibald on guitar; Craig Miner on banjo, bouzouki, guitar, and mandolin; and Rory Carrera on drums. The songs "Go to Hell" and "Snow" both featured on the soundtrack to the motion picture God's Army. Their first album, If I Were a Bird, appeared in 1996 on Tydal Wave, followed by Simplify in 1999 and Live! in 2001. Dream Big marked their initial Capitol release in 2005.