Ryan Bingham
Ryan Bingham promoting Crazy Heart in 2010
Background information
Birth name	George Ryan Bingham
Born	(1981-03-31) March 31, 1981 (age 31) Hobbs, New Mexico, United States
Genres	Country, Folk, Americana
Occupations	Musician
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years active	2006–present
Labels	Lost Highway
Website	www.binghammusic.com

Ryan Bingham (born March 31, 1981) is an Americana^[1] singer-songwriter currently based in Los Angeles, California.^[2]

After garnering critical acclaim for his first two studio releases on Lost Highway Records, 2007's Mescalito and 2009's Roadhouse Sun, Ryan Bingham went on to collaborate with Grammy-winning producer T Bone Burnett on the soundtrack for the 2009 acclaimed film Crazy Heart, including notably co-penning & performing the film’s award-winning theme song "The Weary Kind". The title track earned Bingham an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, and Critics' Choice Award for “Best Song” in 2010,^[3] as well as a Grammy Award for "Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media" in 2011.^[4] As a result of his monumental year, the Americana Music Association honored Bingham with the organization's top award in 2010: “Artist of the Year”.^[5]

Ryan Bingham joined back up with his band The Dead Horses to release their third studio album Junky Star on August 31, 2010. The album debuted in the Top 20 on the Billboard 200 Chart^[6] & in the Top 10 on the Billboard Rock Album Chart,^[7] making Junky Star Bingham’s highest charting & most successful release to date.

Personal life[link]

Ryan Bingham was born in Hobbs, NM and grew up in Texas. He currently lives in Los Angeles, CA. Ryan enjoys bull riding, trains and whiskey. He grew up as a drifter but has since settled down with womenfolk. ^[8]

Career[link]

After issuing self released "Wishbone Saloon" and "Dead Horses", the latter distributed by Lone Star Music, Bingham was signed to Lost Highway Records, who 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."^[9]

Bingham spent several years on the rodeo circuit: He began bullriding in his late teens.^[10] His family moved several times, from Hobbs to Spring and Stephenville, Texas.^[11]

Bingham's bandmates, The Dead Horses, are Matthew Smith (drums), Corby Schaub (guitar and mandolin) and Elijah Ford (bass). The bass player on Mescalito was Jeb Stuart. They appeared with the Drive-by Truckers on the PBS show Austin City Limits in October 2007.

The first single from Mescalito, entitled "Southside of Heaven," was released on November 30, 2007. The next single was entitled "Bread and Water."

On June 2, 2009, Ryan Bingham and The Dead Horses released their second album titled Roadhouse Sun via Lost Highway Records. It was once again produced by Marc Ford.

Ryan Bingham from his 2009 release - Roadhouse Sun

Bingham performed two songs for the soundtrack of the movie Crazy Heart, including "I Don't Know," and the theme song, "The Weary Kind." In addition to these performances, Bingham wrote "The Weary Kind" and was produced by T Bone Burnett. He also had a small role in the film as Tony. On January 17, 2010, Bingham was awarded the Golden Globe for Best Original Song for "The Weary Kind" at the 2010 Golden Globe Awards. The song won Best Original Song^[12] at the 2010 82nd Academy Awards,^[13] as well as Song of the Year at the 9th Annual Americana Music Association awards.^[14]

Bingham's third major label release, Junky Star, was released on Lost Highway Records on August 31, 2010.

Reception[link]

Bingham has appeared as a guest on Bob Harris's Country Show on the BBC's Radio 2. Daryl Easlea, writing for the BBC's folk and country review, said "Bingham will be one of the names to drop in 2008, with an album that sounds as if it's been unearthed from 1972."^[15]

Rolling Stone magazine gave Mescalito three out of five stars and wrote that Bingham "earns his sepia-toned album cover with a dusty wood-and-steel sound, and despite being twenty-five, sings like Steve Earle's dad." ^[16]

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Extended plays[link]

Singles[link]

Music videos[link]

Filmography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Bingham's official website
• Review of Roadhouse Sun from CountryMusicPride.com
• Los Angeles Times article on Bingham
• Interview with AmericanaRoots.com
• Interview with LoneStarMusic.com
• http://www.theeuropean-magazine.com/110-bingham-ryan/112-crazy-heart-soundtrack