Making a Commotion: CCR tribute band features guitarist Jimmy Ryan

MARSHFIELD – Spencer’s LuCille Tack Center will play host to Commotion, a Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute band.

The band features renowned guitarist, Jimmy Ryan, who has been affiliated with many well-known names, including Carly Simon, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Mick Jagger, Cat Stevens and many more.

Before joining Commotion, Ryan played in a high school band called “The Critters,” which spent many years performing together.

After that adventure ended, Jimmy went on to work at his producer’s guitar shop, Dan Armstrong Guitars.

There he met Carly Simon — who was dating Dan Armstrong at the time — and this connection opened the door to collaborations with some of the biggest names in rock and roll.

Jimmy credits Carly Simon as an important part of his success, along with his own raw talent.

In addition to guitar, he plays other instruments, such as the drums, mandolin, bass guitar, keyboard, saxophone, and sings.

Ryan said that despite his skills and connections, he owes much of his success to “being in the right place at the right time.”

This directly correlates to how he began his journey with Commotion.

Later in life, Jimmy decided to move from his home city of New York to Fairfield, Iowa, where he now lives close to Steve McLain and the rest of the band.

Jimmy recalled that McLain built a rehearsal studio above his garage and invited him and the rest of the future bandmates to come over to play music for fun.

 “We would call it the ‘Tuesday Night Card Game;’ but, actually, we were getting together to play music, not play cards,” Ryan explained.

 “One night, Steve started singing like John Fogerty. He started playing a Creedence Clearwater song, and it was so good and so close to the original that I said, ‘Do you want to do a tribute?’ And from that moment, the now well-known Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute band was born.”

Commotion will perform at the LuCille Tack Center on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m.

For more information, visit lucilletackcenter.com.