Singer-songwriter “Doc” Ryan will perform at Sunriver Brewing Eastside Pub on Thursday.

Longtime Central Oregon musician Michael “Doc” Ryan, this week’s featured artist in the Central Oregon Creative Artists Relief Effort, isn’t asking for help. In these trying times for creative types, he’d rather give it.

As his performing name suggests, Ryan is an orthopedic surgeon in Bend. When the pandemic hit, his work schedule was restricted to emergency work such as broken bones. He’s been working a regular schedule for most of the pandemic.

“I feel like I’ve been fortunate in this situation, especially compared to my musician colleagues and friends and venue operators and artists,” he said. “If I can be a financial helper, I’d be happy to contribute. Most of what I did during the pandemic where we had the opportunity to help others, I was able to transfer donations and crowdsourcing towards fellow musicians rather than towards myself.”

While music isn’t Ryan’s main source of income, he still felt the effects of the shutdowns. He played some outdoor shows with his Dirt Trio over the summer when those were allowed. He was already planning a new studio album, what was to be his first with the six-piece Wychus Creek Band, but the pandemic and health issues scuttled those plans.

In June 2020, he joined the livestream set, performing from The Belfry. He used the setup there, courtesy of Grange Recorders owner Keith Banning, to record his third full-length solo album, “Stories, Tales, Truth,” with help from Sisters mainstays Shireen Amini, Bob Beach, Dennis McGregor, Beth Wood and more.

“That just morphed into, people had time available, and I had the material crafted, and so that all worked out,” Ryan said. “… I finally got the vinyl copy done and out.”

With venues reopening, Ryan is looking forward to getting out there again.

“I’m not sure what format it’s going to be,” he said, “but I’m happy to be a part of it. Whatever works, I’d be happy to be a part of it.”