Ryan Richko is a session guitarist from Chicago IL. He is the lead singer and composer for his own band, and also teaches private guitar lessons. Ryan has played for many different artists ranging from the styles of rock, metal, funk, blues, and progressive metal. He has shared the stage with many local and national acts in the hottest Chicago venues like The Metro, The House of Blues, and The Cubby Bear, just to name a few.

Ryan's musical training began when he was 6 years old taking cello and piano lessons at the Suzuki Academy of Music. After 9 years of training at the Suzuki Academy, his father handed him a fender stratocaster and ever since then his life has been devoted to making music with his guitar.

Throughout high school he took guitar and music theory courses to help further his knowledge. After high school he enrolled at Columbia College Chicago as a music major for guitar performance. There he took theory, sight-singing, ear training, keyboard, and jazz guitar courses that allowed him to fully expand his musicality and creative skills. He took private lessons with Peter Lerner, Norman Ruiz, and Frank Dawson, some of the finest and well respected guitarists in Chicago.

Some recent accomplishments include being featured on an independent album with guitar greats Michael Angelo Batio and Dave Weiner (Steve Vai Band), writing and doing session recordings for the music company "Groove Monkee," and being the musical director for the Iphone/Ipod application "Guitar Toolkit." He was also named best guitarist during the Emergenza music fest of 2005.

Currently Ryan is recording his first solo album in Chicago and LA. He is also gigging with the rock band "Trainwreck Symphony," and plays in a jazz trio at local jazz clubs around Chicago.