John Ryster is a fiddler, banjo-player, and an alumnus of Morehead State University.  In 2008 he got an apprenticeship through the Kentucky Arts Council to learn violin-building with Tommy Case of Scott County. Ryster has been making fiddles ever since, with more than 30 instruments completed by 2025.

Ryster has been making violins since 2019 and has seen his creations take the stage of such well-known traditional music artists as Tyler Childers and Jesse Wells. Ryster credits Wells for his interest in traditional music.

“I had always liked bluegrass a little bit and listened to it some, it was not my main thing though, I was really into rock music and classic rock before college,” said Ryster. “I have since sold all my electric guitars and don’t fool with that anymore and I just like fiddle tunes now.”