Ryan Bingham

George Ryan Bingham (born March 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist whose music spans multiple genres.

He is currently based in Los Angeles.

Bingham signed his first record deal with Lost Highway Records (UMG) in 2007.

After receiving critical acclaim for his first two studio releases on Lost Highway Records, 2007's Mescalito and 2009's Roadhouse Sun, Bingham went on to collaborate with Grammy-winning producer T Bone Burnett on the soundtrack for the acclaimed 2009 film Crazy Heart, including notably cowriting and performing the film's award-winning theme song, "The Weary Kind".

After issuing self-released "Wishbone Saloon" and "Dead Horses", the latter distributed by Lone Star Music, Bingham was signed to Lost Highway Records, which issued his first major label debut with Mescalito on October 2, 2007, produced by former Black Crowes guitarist Marc Ford.

Texas Music Magazine has opined that Bingham "talks and sings with a whiskey-and-cigarette throat that screams hard living. Hard in a way that can make a 29-year-old sound like a 50-year-old Tom Waits."

The title track earned Bingham an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, and Critics' Choice Award for "Best Song" in 2010, as well as a Grammy Award for "Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media" in 2011.

The Americana Music Association also honored Bingham with the organization's top award in 2010 as "Artist of the Year".

As of 2019, Bingham has released six studio albums and one live album, the last four of which were released under his own label, Axster Bingham Records.

Originally from Hobbs, New Mexico, Bingham grew up across the Southwestern United States.

He joined the rodeo circuit as a bull rider in his teens.

Bingham learned music on a guitar gifted to him by his mother at age 16, initially playing after rodeos for his friends.

Eventually, he began playing in small bars and honky tonks across the West, landing him in Los Angeles.

Bingham's most recent album, American Love Song, was released on February 15, 2019.

A ballad from that album, "Wolves", was inspired in part by the March For Our Lives students who were dealing with grown men and women questioning their integrity on social media.

The song was also featured on the TV series Yellowstone.

Bingham sang "Wolves" as the series' character, Walker, whom he plays on the show.

In April 2019, Bingham partnered with Live Nation to launch his own music festival, The Western.

The inaugural event took place over two days in Luckenbach, Texas.

Bingham was born in Hobbs, New Mexico.

His family relocated to the Midland–Odessa area of West Texas, before eventually moving to Houston.

He attended high school primarily in Houston at Westfield High School.

Bingham's mother purchased his first guitar when he was 16 years old.

Although he was fascinated by music, he left his guitar dormant in his closet.

Roughly a year later, Bingham hitchhiked back west to Laredo, Texas, in hopes of landing a job with his father, carrying the guitar with him on the trip.

Bingham's father enjoyed having neighbors over on their porch to drink beer, and one of them taught him a classical Mariachi song called "La Malaguena" in segments.

Though he loved playing the song, it was the only one he would learn during his time in Laredo.

He relocated to Stephenville, Texas.

There, he began learning more music while also riding on the rodeo team at Tarleton State University.

It was in Stephenville that he would write arguably his most well-known hit "Southside Of Heaven" in a trailer house.

He also began to play local gigs there, namely a local golf course and a few small bars.

While in Stephenville, Bingham had a friend who caught wind of a job in Paris, France, with the Wild West Show at the Disney Resort.

He bought a one-way ticket with $100 in his pocket.

Upon arrival, he was informed that the manager with whom he had a mutual friend was no longer with the company, and he found himself stranded with his guitar and old rigging bag from his rodeo days.

Luckily, he found some friends-of-friends within the Disney programs and began playing music in local parks for tips.

Eventually, he saved enough money to get back to Texas and moved in with a rodeo buddy near Fort Worth.

His friend had a brother (Matthew "Papa" Smith) who cut hair during the day and played drums as a hobby.

After an introduction and impromptu gig at an empty bar in Fort Worth, he and Papa would go on to be the founding members of Ryan Bingham and the Dead Horses.

Marc Ford of the Black Crowes was one of the few people in the bar that night.

He approached Bingham after the gig with an offer to record an album.