Ryan Beatty kicked off October by bringing his soulful, genre-blurring sound to Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Walking out as Dolly Parton’s “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” played, Beatty set the tone for an evening that felt reflective and reverent. Opening with “Secret Language,” Beatty quickly settled into the performance, letting his vocals remain at the center of the show. Between songs, he kept things casual, bringing a warm, self-aware sense of humor and understated playfulness to his conversations with the crowd. While Beatty’s latest release, Sweet Fortune, served as the focus of the night, he made room for fan favorites from Calico throughout the set. “Cinnamon Bread” and “Andromeda” brought some of the his previous album’s most recognizable moments into the performance, while “Little Faith” made its Arms Over Armor tour debut. Dressed in an all-black suit, Beatty joked that he felt a bit like a preacher, making the song’s inclusion feel especially fitting, while also adding a new layer to a set that reflected how Beatty’s sound has continued to evolve.
That connection to his earlier work continued into the show’s encore, when Beatty performed “JUST FOR FUN,” a song he co-wrote with Beyoncé for her 2024 album Cowboy Carter. Throughout the night, Beatty repeatedly referred to the Ryman by its longtime nickname, the “Mother Church of Country Music,” clearly aware of the significance that comes with performing on its stage. That history took on added meaning as Beatty reflected on getting to play a small part in country music history through his contributions to Cowboy Carter. Performing the song at the Ryman brought those threads together in a way that felt distinctly Nashville. Beatty ultimately closed the night with “Fleur de Lis,” the same song that brings Sweet Fortune to an end. Built around images of planting, tending and allowing something to grow, the song made for a gentle sendoff, carrying the same sense of care that runs throughout Sweet Fortune into the final moments of the night.
- Drew Noble
Photos Courtesy of Drew Noble (For Bell Music Magazine)
