Monarch Artist Feature: Ryan Anderson

By Kelsey Knott • Photos By Matt Johnson

Known as the frontman, songwriter, and guitarist of Bendigo Fletcher, Ryan Anderson’s work instills connection as he captures the familiar in a fresh way and collaborates with both old friends and new.

Since the eighth grade, Anderson has been in bands, following his natural gravitation to performing fostered by his grade school music teachers, who helped him practice  piano chords through Beatles songs and cast him to star in the third-grade play. 

Bendigo Fletcher has released several critically acclaimed albums, and with each release, Anderson hopes to inspire peers and friends through sharing art. He refers to his latest project, Moose Loon, as a collaborative solo effort. “If a certain  musician’s talents came to mind when writing or after I had completed  the initial guitar and vocal track, I reached out for their help. I’m fortunate to know people who are interested in experimentation. I’d be like, ‘Hey, how’s it going? Can we record in your kitchen?’ I felt a sense of trust  and adventure in making it.” In featuring a crew of Kentucky-based artists, his debut album, Out on the Edge of Everything, weaves a musical web of connection throughout the region. 

This sense of community reflects his stance on music’s power to spiritually connect us. “ It feels like an extremely important time to exercise creativity and to share art. It’s a way to find deeper understanding between one another. It always feels like a good use of time and energy, because making or witnessing music always serves to connect us. I’m always encouraged to keep going when I see anyone doing their thing and sharing a heartfelt effort. 

The Monarch further values these natural connections that occur when artists share ideas in the same place. “What stands out to me is their willingness to experiment. The possibilities from that kind of space are infinite.” Fueled by the excitement of making unconventional gatherings happen, they may offer help or provide sound even without direct involvement in the event.

Music pulls Anderson into caring more about his surroundings and being aware of the world around him. “I love to exist in the mindset of songwriting. It’s a grounding exercise for me.” Whether writing to process, express, realize, or escape, he waits for the feeling of personal truth. “The good part is how it feels while you’re doing it. You want to be proud of the end result, but the process of taking time to do it is the most valuable part of doing anything artistic. It’s a form of meditation and creativity, and can be collaborative. The intangible things about art can have the most lasting effect on us.” 

Moose Loon is a perfect example, in its blended solo and collaborative nature. “Of course I’m proud of how it turned out, but the most special thing is who I was with or where I was when I recorded or when the idea for the song came to be. Those connect me back to moments that are just as important as the end result, if not more.”

Listen to Out on the Edge of Everything on August 7th, or better yet, see his live pop-up show August 6th!