Ryan Bingham Biography

George Ryan Bingham (born March 31, 1981) is an Americana singer-songwriter currently based in Los Angeles, California.

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, as well as a Grammy Award for "Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media" in 2011. 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"?.

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 & in the Top 10 on the Billboard Rock Album Chart, making Junky Star Bingham"?s highest charting & most successful release to date.

In 2012, Bingham parted ways with his band The Dead Horses and record label Lost Highway Records to release his fourth studio album Tomorrowland on his own label Axster Bingham Records.

In 2013, Bingham wrote and recorded "Until I'm One With You", the theme song for FX TV drama series "The Bridge". The song is Bingham's first screen track since his Academy Award win for best theme song in 2010. "Until I'm One With You" was released as a digital single on Bingham's own label Axster Bingham Records on June 25, 2013.

Early life

Bingham was born in Hobbs, New Mexico, grew up in West Texas and went to high school in Houston, Texas, at Westfield High School.

Bingham got his first guitar as a 16 year old when his mother bought him one. At the time, they were living in Texas. Although he was fascinated by music, he left his guitar dormant in his closet for around a year, until Bingham's old neighbor, whom he used to drink beer with at his back porch, taught him a classical Mariachi song called "La Malaguena" in segments. Soon, he moved to the Fort Worths area in Texas, and with growing interest in playing music, he started seeking new songs to learn. Bingham started playing gigs in bars that he and his friends used to hang out in and that's how his career as a musician initially began.

Career

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."

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

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.

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 at the 2010 82nd Academy Awards, as well as Song of the Year at the 9th Annual Americana Music Association awards.

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

On September 18, 2012 Bingham co-produced and released his fourth studio album Tomorrowland on Axster Bingham Records. The first single released from Tomorrowland is "Heart of Rhythm." Both the single and the official lyric video debuted on Americansongwriter.com on July 30, 2012.

Bingham"?s second Tomorrowland single "Guess Who"?s Knockin" debuted on Rollingstone.com on September 6, 2012. The official music video for "Guess Who"?s Knocking" premiered on Pastmagazine.com October 4, 2012.

Reception

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."

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."

PopMatters review of Tomorrowland awarded the album with 8 out of 10 stars. Greg M. Scwartz, writing for Popmatters wrote, that "The one-time pro rodeo rider turned Texas troubadour has blues, country, and Americana influences that are certainly still there. But at his core, Bingham has always been a rock "?n"? roller and Tomorrowland features him rocking at his best."?

Tomorrowland was also reviewed by Nico Isaac from Paste (magazine). Isaac wrote: "Tomorrowland is like a good, ol"? fashioned rock anthem of kiss-my-asschaps autonomy"? One things for sure Tomorrowland- the album and the red-blooded, rattlesnake-eating rebellious attitude"?is no place for the weary kind."?

Personal life

Bingham currently lives in Los Angeles, California where he lives with his wife, Anna Axter, who also directed his music videos.

Ryan's mother drank herself to death and his father committed suicide. Bingham's "Never Far Behind" from his "Tomorrowland" album is about his parents.

Discography

Studio albums

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions
		US Country	US	US Rock	US Heat	US Indie
Mescalito	Release date: October 2, 2007 Label: Lost Highway Records Formats: LP, CD, music download	"?	"?	"?	37	"?
Roadhouse Sun	Release date: June 2, 2009 Label: Lost Highway Records Formats: LP, CD, music download	17	65	"?	"?	"?
Junky Star	Release date: August 31, 2010 Label: Lost Highway Records Formats: LP, CD, music download	2	19	8	"?	"?
Tomorrowland	Release date: September 18, 2012 Label: Axster/Bingham Records Formats: LP, CD, music download	7	36	16	"?	8
""?" denotes releases that did not chart

Extended plays

Title	Album details	Peak positions
		US Country
iTunes Live: SXSW	Release date: March 18, 2011 Label: Lost Highway Records Formats: CD, music download	64

Singles

Year	Single	Peak positions	Album
		US
2010	"The Weary Kind"	116	Crazy Heart (soundtrack)
	"Depression"	"?	Junky Star
2012	"The Wandering" (Acoustic)	"?		"Patagonia Benefit"
	""?" denotes releases that did not chart

Music videos

Year	Video	Director
2007	"Southside of Heaven"	Anna Axster
2008	"Bread and Water"
2009	"Country Roads"
2010	"The Weary Kind"	Danny Clinch
2012	"Heart of Rhythm"	Anna Axster
2012	"Guess Who's Knocking"	Anna Axster

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2009	Crazy Heart	Tony	Academy Award for Best Original Song Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Original Song World Soundtrack Award for Best Original Song Written Directly for a Film