Mandolin Man Jimmy Ryan

Boston-based Jimmy Ryan has been into music since he was he was 12, but he says, he's always been a bit of a contrarian. When he was growing up back in the 1970s, all of his buddies were playing guitar, and he wanted to do something different.

So he picked up the mandolin, and he's been playing it ever since. Now he's a fixture on the Boston Bluegrass and Americana scene, but over the years, he's sampled a wide range of musical styles including ska, glam rock and punk.

Jimmy Ryan has just released his fifth solo album, called "Readville. He'll be performing Friday night at Johnny D's in Somerville. Here he is live in our studio performing, "What If I Fall."

Jimmy Ryan, mandolin

Duke Levine, guitar

Dave Westner, bass