Ryan Bingham with The Texas Gentlemen
Ryan Bingham is a Grammy®, Oscar®, Golden Globe®, and Critic’s Choice® award-winning artist and star of acclaimed TV series Yellowstone. In an industry often swayed by trends and marketability, Bingham stands as a beacon of genuine expression, his music a testament to the power of staying true to one's roots. Known for his raw and emotive music, evocative storytelling, and trademark weather-beaten vocals, Bingham has risen over the years to become one of the most distinctive and authentic voices of his generation.
From a Southwest drifter and professional bull rider to an award-winning musician and star of a record-breaking hit television series, Ryan Bingham has packed a few lifetimes into his unlikely journey, all while transforming personal trials and adventures into a resonant soundtrack that speaks to the heart of the human experience. His music defies classification, with folk, blues, country, and rock ‘n roll all being part of the recipe. It’s authentic, powerful, and the songs are rooted in real life – in survival and sacrifice and, yes, sometimes just having a damn good time. Nobody making music today has a voice like Bingham’s, one that has the worn and weary character of an old fighter more than twice his age, but the power of a young man. It’s an intoxicating mixture that has made Bingham one of the most celebrated artists today.
Bingham never set out to be a musician. From an early age, Bingham's life was defined by constant movement and the harsh realities of a nomadic existence. Hailing from a small town in New Mexico, Bingham grew up in the rugged west Texas oil fields, then spent his teenage years shuffling from town to town across the state as a pro bull-rider. For over a decade, Bingham lived out of his truck, making ends meet between rodeo competitions and day labor jobs. It was during those treks that Bingham serendipitously stumbled upon music when he began entertaining friends with the guitar, an instrument he’d learned at the age of 17 from a mariachi-playing neighbor.
Writing soon became a cathartic conduit for processing his tumultuous upbringing, and before long he was trading the wandering life of a cowboy for the wandering life of a musician. It was a transient lifestyle that enabled Bingham to absorb the rich tapestry of cultural influences along the way – from the Cajun culture along the western border of Louisiana, to the hardcore hip-hop favored by his Houston friends, to the border songs of the Mexican immigrants. In fact, until he moved to California in 2007, he never lived in any one place for more than two years. It’s this spirit of having done plenty of living early on that would later lend his music with a raw, world-weary quality that to this day resonates in every note, every word, and every silence in between. A genuine reflection of a life fully lived, not a persona crafted.
From these humble beginnings, Bingham emerged as a voice of soul and honesty. He first captured national attention in 2007 with the release of his critically acclaimed debut, "Mescalito." As a rising star, he navigated a musical landscape that ranged from Woody Guthrie-style folk songs and Spanish-language balladry to gritty hard rock – signaling the arrival of a unique talent unafraid to blur the boundaries of genre while delivering music that is as real as the life he's lived.
However, it was his poignant ballad "The Weary Kind," penned for the 2009 film Crazy Heart, that catapulted Bingham into the global spotlight. A critical and commercial success, the song garnered Bingham an Academy Award®, a Grammy®, a Golden Globe®, and a Critic’s Choice® Award in 2010, among other accolades. That same year, Bingham was also awarded the Americana Music Association's ‘Artist of the Year,’ firmly establishing his place in the pantheon of American singer-songwriters.
With a fiercely independent spirit and well-earned reputation for defying convention, the real-life cowboy poet has continued to navigate the music industry on his own terms at every step throughout his career. Across seven acclaimed albums, Bingham's commitment to honest, raw, and heartfelt expression has remained unwavering, staying true to his roots while continually exploring new territories in sound and storytelling. With every new chapter in his discography, Bingham’s music movingly captures how the overarching theme of the personal and communal American existence can encompass triumph and tragedy from one moment to the next.
In his latest project, "Watch Out For The Wolf," Bingham continues to forge his own path and challenge expectations, marking his most intimate work to date amidst the solitude of the Montana wilderness. This seven-song EP, his first project in four years and released under Bingham’s own label, The Bingham Recording Co., serves as the eagerly anticipated follow-up to his critically acclaimed sixth studio album “American Love Song.” Guided by his signature poetic lyricism and soulful delivery, “Watch Out For The Wolf” showcases Bingham's full range as an artist as he simultaneously takes on the roles of writer, producer, performer, recording engineer, and mixer for the first time. The result is more than a collection of songs – it's a raw, evocative, and at times, haunting time capsulethat carves a distinctive space in his ever-evolving catalogue.
In addition to music, Bingham has also made his mark in the world of acting, most notably for his role as “Walker” on the acclaimed neo-Western television series, Yellowstone. Over the past five seasons, his portrayal as a ranch hand with a troubled past and a talent for music has become a fan favorite, expanding his fanbase while adding another layer to his multifaceted career.
Beyond music and television, Bingham also manages an accomplished portfolio of business ventures, including helming his own label for over a decade (The Bingham Recording Co.), as well as pioneering a two-day music festival in 2019 called ‘The Western.’ Most recently, after several years in the making, Bingham ventured into the world of spirits with the launch of Bingham Spirits. This past fall, the company debuted its first product, Bingham’s Bourbon – a handcrafted, small-batch Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey, now available in Texas, Oklahoma, Nevada, and Florida, with plans to expand throughout 2024.
Ryan Bingham is currently on tour following the release of his latest EP, “Watch Out For The Wolf,” and is also set to resume filming Season 5 of Yellowstone, scheduled for release in November 2024.