Born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, Ryan Larkins discovered country music at a young age. He sharpened his baritone vocal chops by singing in church, where he also played guitar during weekly worship services. Inspired by gospel, pop, and the old-school country music of his hometown, Larkins made his television debut in 2009, when he participated in CMT's reality competition Can You Duet alongside another member of his church. Although the two singers performed together on the show, their third-place finish proved to be a significant launchpad for Larkins' solo career, and he released his debut EP Follow Me in 2011. Ryan Larkins also established himself as an in-demand songwriter for other singers, penning music for artists like Tim McGraw and Cody Johnson during the 2010s. "Someday It'll All Make Sense," a duet that he co-wrote for country icons Dolly Parton and Bill Anderson, received a Grammy nomination in early 2023, elevating Larkins' career even further. Capitalizing on the momentum, he released the five-song EP Meet Ryan Larkins that same year and earned a modest radio hit with the record's biggest single, "King of Country Music," which reached number 59 on the Top 60 Radio Country Songs chart in January 2024.