Ryan Gallagher has piercing green eyes and boyish good looks, but he says he wants to be known for his God-given talent for singing. The 24-year-old is the featured performer at Saturday’s opening of Solaire Resort & Casino in Entertainment City, Parañaque. He goes onstage at 10 p.m.

 

Straight from a long-haul flight from Los Angeles a few days ago, Gallagher talked to Inquirer Lifestyle on how he started out in country music before deciding to focus on becoming a “classical crooner.”

 

He admitted enjoying his stint as a country music artist, particularly the time he opened for Carrie Underwood at a concert attended by 30,000 people.

 

“I was based in Nashville and already performing country music when I decided I wanted to expand my reach. I trained with vocal coach George Gibson in Washington, DC, before moving to Los Angeles,” Gallagher said.

 

In LA he was booked in casinos and at private functions; his repertoire consisted of ballads from Frank Sinatra to Andrea Bocelli.

 

While he appreciates the adulation of country fans, he said he also gets standing ovations when doing pop and classical standards.

 

“Some people end up teary-eyed when I perform. Others e-mail me a year or two after my performance to say how much they were moved by it,” Gallagher said.

 

He recalled having no plans of becoming a singer. In high school, he was determined to be a professional hockey player until he was sidelined by an injury.

 

“In a way, it was like God telling me that He had something else planned for me,” he explained. “Now, I want to inspire people and not just give them a good time. When I perform, I want to give my audience something to remember in a good way.” Raoul J. Chee Kee