Ryan Bingham – A Modern-Day Troubadour

Bingham stands out among his country peers by taking an honest approach to storytelling. Drawing upon experiences from his nomadic upbringing with parents who couldn’t hold down jobs due to alcoholism and had to move frequently for work opportunities, Bingham has turned these life stories into powerful music that resonates deeply.

He rose to widespread renown with his 2007 debut album Mescalito and an Oscar win for Crazy Heart movie. Now, he stars on popular television show Yellowstone.

Roots

Ryan Bingham is a modern troubadour who creates songs of hope in our troubled yet hopeful times. His songs capture life’s experiences with roots in country music, blues, folk and rock n roll.

Bingham hails from the Southwest, having spent his early years traveling from town to town as a rodeo cowboy. This nomadic life exposed him to various influences ranging from Cajun music of southern Louisiana and border songs from Mexico.

Bingham channels the hardships and losses he has endured into an album called American Love Song, filled with breathtakingly beautiful tracks. Before coming to Belfast as part of his European tour, we spoke on the phone with him about how he has navigated both highs and lows so far in his career. Our conversation was heartfelt, emotional and very honest – we thank him so much for taking the time to share his journey!

Talent

Bingham is an accomplished songwriter whose music transcends and defies genre, from folk to country to rock. His songs resonate with authenticity and resonate deeply, reflecting an overarching theme of human survival that includes both triumph and tragedy from moment to moment.

Mescalito and Roadhouse Sun, his debut and follow-up albums respectively, earned critical acclaim. However, co-writing and performing the theme song for Jeff Bridges film Crazy Heart catapulted him to national recognition in 2009.

Bingham has earned both an Oscar and Grammy, in addition to Americana’s Artist of the Year award. However, his life was marred by turbulent adolescence as well as losing both parents – his mother due to alcoholism and his father due to suicide – both tragic losses which add additional resonance to his weathered rasp. As such, his captivating voice has become synonymous with his unique brand of music.

Storytelling

Bingham has become adept at transporting his audiences to another time and place, whether through his gravelly vocals or poetic lyrics. On his latest release ‘American Love Song’ he explored themes of loss and isolation drawn from his nomadic childhood to craft an emotive set that’s sure to leave an indelible mark on listeners.

Bingham’s emotive storytelling creates complex characters with rich depth that resonate with his audiences. His stories often mirror real-life struggles and triumphs of individuals, enabling listeners to identify with protagonists while developing empathy for their journeys.

Bingham stands as an icon of authenticity in an industry marked by shifting trends and marketability. A Grammy(r) and Oscar(r) award winner, who currently stars on Yellowstone on acclaimed TV, he performs only what pleases him, connecting with fans coast to coast through his performances.

Personality

Ryan Bingham stands out as an exceptional singer-songwriter. Starting off playing rodeo trailers and honky tonks before finding fame on Jeff Bridges’ Crazy Heart soundtrack. Bingham has built up an impeccable reputation for honesty and depth; American Love Song proves no exception.

Up In The Air casts Ryan as an uprooted corporate downsizer who lives life ‘up in the air’ to the fullest, packing all his possessions into one suitcase each year and spending 322 days traveling across country and continents. Ryan finds a like-minded counterpart in Alex (Vera Farmiga), another frequent flyer content with casual relationships existing only between trips; when Ryan convinces her to join him for his sister’s wedding trip she agrees without much hesitation, and their relationship serves as an interesting case study in both opposites who perfectly complement one another!