Tired, disoriented and in need of a cigarette, singer/songwriter Matthew Ryan is willing to talk about anything — emphysema, his credit card offer in the mail to get a platinum card and the latest article he read.

“There’s an article in Rolling Stone about the killer flu,” Ryan said from his hotel room in St. Louis. “It talks about thousands of people dying with the flu. It could happen. It has happened.”

And, in a quiet melancholy voice, he continues to talk about modern medicine and the math probabilities that are taken into account when doctors are predicting the next flu.

The flu, however, is not at the forefront of Ryan’s thoughts — music is. This folk-rock artist speaks about his new CD — “Mayday” — in the same weathered voice and poetic style that is signature on it.

“I’m really proud of it,” Ryan said. “I’m proud of the songs and think they have a lot of integrity. I know the kind of music that has had an effect on me and I hope that my music has that effect on some people.

“I want to record as many CDs as I can,” Ryan continued, somewhat distant and thoughtful. Although he described the release of “Mayday” as “uneventful.”

“You don’t realize something is happening until it happens,” Ryan said quoting a philosopher he has read. “It is the anticipation of it. You think it will be a life-changing thing — instead, the stakes just get higher. If anything, releasing a CD has created more stress. It was almost better before when you can just fantasize what will happen.”

Besides having integrity, this CD does prove one thing — Ryan has come a long way from the working class of Chester, Pa. Moving from a small town that was filled with housing projects to suburban Delaware taught Ryan an important life lesson, one that he had to keep in mind before his move to Nashville.

“Change in geography is a change in opportunity,” Ryan said. “It doesn’t seem like moving would do that but it does.”

Moving to Delaware offered Ryan a chance to see what he didn’t want — a career in banking.

“There is a lot of banking in Delaware,” he said. “That’s where all of the credit card companies are.”

So at 21, Ryan left Delaware for Nashville and, having only lived in Nashville for five years, he has begun to make a name for himself.

“When I came to Nashville, I was ignorant of the stereotypes,” Ryan said. “I didn’t associate Nashville with country music, so there were no obstacles.

“Besides, there are a lot of great traditions there,” he continued. “There’s Chris Christopherson and Willie Nelson and several New York and L.A. labels are active there.”

Ryan will be able to return to his home in Nashville and get back into the recording studio after his tour with Edwin McCain.

Matthew Ryan will be opening for Edwin McCain with Mango Jam tonight at People’s Bar and Grill. The show begins at 9 p.m. and tickets are $12 advance.