Outside at the NAMM convention, YouTuber Guitaro 5000, also known as Reginald Guillaume, asked for someone to come sing with him, and a guy named Ryan Woodard walked up. This guy suggested singing on the song “Gravity” by John Mayer, a favorite of the young musician.
Ryan exuded confidence as he stepped forward, captivating everyone with his powerful voice. Listening to 16-year-old singer Ryan Woodard, you would never imagine what he had to undergo during his childhood.
Despite being on the autism spectrum, he couldn’t communicate through speech until he was 10 years old. Ryan shared his story with YouTuber Guitaro 5000 and he was completely astonished. It was through memorizing song lyrics that Ryan eventually learned to speak.
When asked about his aspirations, Ryan shared his dream of writing and recording his own music.
“What changed my life is music,” Ryan said. “It made me feel more verbal, and it made me feel more confident.”
People couldn’t help but stop and listen, mesmerized by the soulful sound that emanated from him, sending chills down their spines.
After the video was uploaded on YouTube channel guitaro5000, it quickly went viral, accumulating an impressive 8.6 million views and garnering 280K likes.
Plenty of online viewers left positive comments, praising his vocal and admiring his strong will.
One YouTube viewer wrote, “As a retired elementary school teacher, this touches my heart, as I’ve often spent quality time with autistic geniuses like Ryan. What an honor. I give my thanks to you for bringing Ryan to the forefront… what goodness, what livelihood in song.”
Another added, “This young man has a smooth and soothing voice. He has great stage presence.”