Laura Bryna: The Story Behind “Rise”—Music, Loss, and Finding Strength

Tony Mantor's : Almost Live..... Nashville

Host Tony Mantor sits down with independent country artist and songwriter Laura Bryna to explore how personal tragedy and resilience have shaped her

Key takeaways

• Laura Bryna's brother survived a six-and-a-half-month coma from a brain aneurysm but declined his Make-A-Wish so another child could receive it, inspiring her lifelong advocacy with the foundation.
• The song "Rise" was co-written with Scatterbrains, Chief, and Zach Garner, originally intended as a universal anthem that later gained profound personal meaning after Bryna's father passed from rare blood cancer.

Main topics

• Independent music career & industry navigation
• Family health crises & grief processing through art

Notable quotes

"It's not when you get there, it's how you get there."

Conclusion

The episode underscores the transformative power of music to process l

Transcript preview

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So Speaker 8 (0:49) whether you're someone who pipes it on the driving range but freezes up on the tee box. Or Speaker 4 (0:54) misses that 3-foot putt when everything's on the line. We're there to laugh about it with you on 3-Putt Bogey, a podcast about two mid-handicappers, one great shot. and the three-putt that spoils it Speaker 8 (1:04) all. Speaker 4 (1:05) You can listen to it now on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Speaker 6 (1:14) Every case has a story. Every victim has a voice. But will it be heard? I'm Nancy Grace. On Crime Stories, we go beyond headlines to examine evidence, challenge the story we're fed, and pursue justice for victims and their families. Please join us at Crime Stories with Nancy Grace on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you find your podcasts. Hope you join us. I'll see you there, friend. The Speaker 1 (1:45) new NFL season is here, and you should be listening to NFL Daily as we march along to Super Bowl 61. It is in the name, NFL Daily. You'll have fresh content in your feed every day, all season long. That game-winning drive. Maybe it's Herbert. Maybe it's Geno. Maybe it's Mahomes. We'll have the highlights. If Fernando Mendoza or any of the rookies are balling out, we'll break down the tape. Join me, Greg Rosenthal, and an all-star cast of co-hosts as we preview and recap every game. Listen to NFL Daily. on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Brett Coleman. And I'm Trevor Sykema. If you love football and want to understand what's really happening on Speaker 8 (2:24) the field, check out our show, NFL Pro. Every week, we break down the biggest plays, trends, and matchups using exclusive next-gen stats insights and NFL content you will not find anywhere else. Speaker 1 (2:35) Whether you're new to football, a fantasy football fanatic, or a diehard fan, NFL Pro will help you analyze the game like a pro. Listen to NFL Pro on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Speaker 3 (2:50) Hi, I'm Tony Mantor. Before we start today's show, I want to introduce you to Coast to Coast Heroes, my new podcast debuting November 11th. For our military veterans, the uniform is only part of the story. Behind it is a person and a life shaped by service, sacrifice, and experiences many of us may never fully understand. Through honest, deeply personal conversations, you'll hear veterans share what they've faced, what carried them through, and how they continue making a difference beyond their military service. Their strength deserves more than our gratitude. Their stories deserve our attention. Coast to Coast Heroes, the people behind the uniform, the stories beyond the headlines. Coast to Coast Heroes debuts November 11th. Please follow, listen, and share. And most of all, get to know the veterans because behind every veteran, is a story and listening is where understanding begins. Hi, I'm Tony Mantour. Thanks for joining us today. Welcome to Almost Live Nashville, where music, entertainment, and great conversations come together. If you haven't already, tap follow. This way you stay up to date, never missing the great conversation and guests coming your way. Speaker 3 (4:11) Some artists entertain us, others inspire us, and once in a while you meet someone who does both. Today's guest has built a career on authenticity, resilience, and using music to bring hope to people when they need it most. From growing up in a small Maryland town with dreams of country music to overcoming unimaginable family tragedies. to becoming an award-winning independent recording artist, songwriter, radio host, author, and passionate advocate for organizations like Make-A-Wish, she has never lost sight of why she creates. Her music has comforted cancer patients, honored military heroes, celebrated small-town America, and reminded countless people that no matter what life throws at us, we all have the strength to rise. Today we talk with Laura Bryna about the moments that shaped her journey, the personal stories behind her songs, the power of giving back, and why music continues to heal hearts around the world. It's a pleasure to have her here today. Thanks for joining us. Speaker 2 (5:13) Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited. Speaker 3 (5:16) Instead of going into directly what you're doing now, let's take your journey and getting there. How did it all start? Speaker 2 (5:23) The journey begins. Well, I'm originally from Maryland. way way in the middle of nowhere kind of turn left at the cow right at the church kind of directions okay you know i've always loved country music to me country music is about the lyrics it's about the melodies it's real life experiences things that people are going through the double entendres the fun but yet there's you know the serious and the sensitive and emotional part too as a child we're a blended family we're like mixed marriages deaths divorces that kind of thing We used to go down in the basement. Actually, we still do this. I was the lead singer of the band and my stepsisters and my half sister, they were my backup dancers and singers. Speaker 3 (6:01) Okay. And Speaker 2 (6:02) so we thought we were really great, by the way, with our metal spoons. And we were charging my parents like 25 cents a show. And sometimes my parents saw the show three times. So my parents were like, oh my gosh, we have to watch this again. And I think, oh my gosh, she needs to do something with this. And so we would lip sync and sing to the songs and all the different things. It was a lot of fun. But from there, it really, my brother went through, suffered from a brain aneurysm and was in a coma for six and a half months. Speaker 3 (6:31) Wow. Speaker 2 (6:31) Yeah, and so really my mom and I would drive to Washington, D.C. every day. And like I was saying, in the middle of nowhere. And sometimes 95 means go 95. Right. Big interstate 95. But we would drive from Maryland all the way to D.C. And, you know, we're kind of maybe 40 minutes or so from West Virginia. So it was quite a hike. And depending on traffic, you know, it could be an hour and 10 minutes. It could be 45. You never know. Yeah. As we were driving to D.C., we would listen to country music because, you know, country music was about the lyrics and the melodies. And it was things that we were going through. I mean, sometimes there were really shit days and there was like, you know, maybe he moved his finger and you're like, yeah, it's exciting. You know, that kind of a thing. So, you know, there were songs that made us laugh. There were songs that made us cry. There were songs that we were going through the same thing. And this is also how I learned how to give back, too, because I love I love giving back in any way that I can. And so it kind of all ties together. But, you know, my brother, while he was at Children's Hospital in D.C., And we were waiting for him to wake up. You know, the Make-A-Wish Foundation kept checking in and seeing how he was doing. And sorry, it does get you a little bit. Speaker 3 (7:42) That's all right. Speaker 2 (7:43) One day, my brother woke up. And when the Make-A-Wish Foundation came in, they said, you know, we'd like to grant you a wish. And, you know, at the time, Make-A-Wish was about granting wishes to children who were terminally ill. Speaker 3 (7:56) Right. Speaker 2 (7:57) Now they've changed their mission statement to it's now where these children are. They're living through these diseases. So it's now life threatening diseases. And so it's amazing, you know, through where science is that, you know, hopefully one day we won't need we won't need make a wish or we won't need all these medications because cancer is going to go away and these horrible diseases. But Speaker 3 (8:17) right. Speaker 2 (8:18) My brother woke up and and he said to them, he said, you know what? I don't need a wish. I'm going to get better. You need to give it to somebody. who really needs one. Speaker 3 (8:27) From Speaker 2 (8:28) there, I really learned. I've sat on the board of Make-A-Wish. I've also gone and volunteered. I've stuffed envelopes. I've granted wishes. I've made phone calls. I've done all different things like that. You know, children are our future, as Whitney Houston always said in her song, you know, teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside. Speaker 3 (8:49) Right. Speaker 2 (8:49) It was something that I knew that I wanted to be a part of. Speaker 3 (8:52) Okay. Speaker 2 (8:53) and to see giving back and music come together because music is healing. Right. Speaker 3 (8:58) It Speaker 2 (8:58) brings people together. It makes them smile. It makes them get through tough times. That's what, you know, my briny acts. That's what we do. We help each other through the tough times. And, you know, we celebrate those great moments. And my brother got well, learned how to walk and talk and all those different things that we all think, oh, these are normal things that we all do. And it's really those are things that might be so easy. Speaker 3 (9:22) Yeah. Exactly. Speaker 2 (9:23) And so when I was old enough, which I have family in Nashville, so, you know, I was always going there and, you know, I was listening to country music and being there with my uncle and my cousins and things like that and my aunt. And I knew that that was the place I needed to be. I wanted to be a part of this magic community. And it's the dream. Speaker 3 (9:44) Yeah, I've been here in Nashville for a long time. It's good. It Speaker 2 (9:47) is. It's Speaker 3 (9:48) changed, but it's still very good. Speaker 2 (9:50) It definitely has changed a lot. But yet I knew I packed up my my parents because I'm a crazy bird chick. And my dad and I drove to Nashville. And that's what we did. And because I knew it was the place to be. Yeah. Speaker 3 (10:03) You Speaker 2 (10:03) know, people like, well, what else would you like? What is the plan B? I don't even know what that word means. And and, you know, I'm not somebody that's ever really done drugs before. And so it's like, I mean, yes, I have had something to drink. Speaker 3 (10:14) Right. Speaker 2 (10:14) When you're on stage or you're connecting with your audience. whether it's in a little cafe or playing huge stadiums, and I've done all of the above, you can't explain that to somebody. It's magic beyond words. Exactly. From the person in the last seat in the stadium to the person that's right in front, it's that intimate connection that you have, and it's magic. And for me, it's like a drug saying to me, hi, Laura, come get me. And I'm like, okay. Speaker 3 (10:43) Oh, yeah. Speaker 3 (10:46) Oh, I get it. 100%. Now, you built your career independently. What were some of the moments that giving up would have been the easy way out? Speaker 2 (10:56) Well, you know, well, some of that is changing, but it's very exciting. You know, there's a lot of freedom in being independent, too. I mean,