George Ryan Bingham (born March 31, 1981) is an American singer, actor, songwriter, and guitarist whose music spans multiple genres.^[4][5] He is currently based in Los Angeles.^[6] 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.^{[7][8][9][10]}

Ryan Bingham
Bingham performing in 2010
Born	George Ryan Bingham (1981-03-31)March 31, 1981 (age 44) Hobbs, New Mexico, U.S.
Education	Westfield High School
Occupations	Singer songwriter musician
Years active	2007–present
Spouse	Anna Axster ​ ​ (m. 2009;div. 2021)​ Hassie Harrison ​ (m. 2023)​ [1]
Children	3
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Origin	Austin, Texas, U.S.
Genres	Americana[2] roots rock[3]
Instruments	Vocals guitar harmonica keyboard
Labels	Lost Highway Axster Bingham
Formerly of	Ryan Bingham and the Dead Horses
Website	ryanbingham.com

Originally fromHobbs, New Mexico, Bingham grew up across the Southwestern United States. He joined the rodeo circuit as a bull rider in his teens.^[11] Bingham learned music on a guitar gifted to him by his mother at age 16, initially playing afterrodeos for his friends.^[12] Eventually, he began playing in small bars and honky tonks across the West, landing him in Los Angeles. Bingham signed his first record deal withLost Highway Records (UMG) in 2007.^[13]

After receiving critical acclaim for his first two studio releases on Lost Highway Records, 2007'sMescalito and 2009'sRoadhouse Sun, Bingham went on to collaborate with Grammy-winning producerT Bone Burnett on the soundtrack for the acclaimed 2009 filmCrazy Heart, including notably cowriting and performing the film's award-winning theme song, "The Weary Kind". The title track earned Bingham an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, andCritics' Choice Award for "Best Song" in 2010,^[14] as well as a Grammy Award for "Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media" in 2011.^[15] TheAmericana Music Association also honored Bingham with the organization's topaward in 2010 as "Artist of the Year".^[16]

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 theMarch For Our Lives students who were dealing with grown men and women questioning their integrity on social media.^[17] The song was also featured on the TV seriesYellowstone.^[18] Bingham sang "Wolves" as the series' character, Walker, whom he plays on the show.^[19]

In April 2019, Bingham partnered withLive Nation to launch his own music festival, The Western. The inaugural event took place over two days inLuckenbach, Texas.^[20]

Bingham was born in Hobbs, New Mexico. His family relocated to theMidland–Odessa area ofWest Texas, before eventually moving toHouston. He attended high school primarily in Houston atWestfield 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 toLaredo, 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 toStephenville, Texas. There, he began learning more music while also riding on the rodeo team atTarleton 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 inParis, France, with the Wild West Show at theDisney 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 nearFort 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.^[21]Marc Ford of theBlack 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.^[22][23]

After issuing self-released "Wishbone Saloon" and "Dead Horses", the latter distributed byLone Star Music, Bingham was signed toLost Highway Records, which issued his first major label debut withMescalito on October 2, 2007, produced by formerBlack Crowes guitaristMarc 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-oldTom Waits."^[24] Bingham spent several years on the rodeo circuit. He beganbull riding in his late teens.^[25][26]

Bingham's former band, The Dead Horses, was composed of Matthew "Papa" Smith (drums), Corby Schaub (guitar andmandolin) and Marc Ford's son Elijah (bass). The bass player onMescalito was Jeb Venable (a.k.a. Jeb Stuart), with Joe Allen credited as well, plus a contribution fromJohn Bazz onupright bass. Bingham appeared with theDrive-by Truckers onAustin City Limits in October 2007. The first single fromMescalito, titled "Southside of Heaven", was released on November 30, 2007. The second single was entitled "Bread and Water".

On June 2, 2009, Ryan Bingham and The Dead Horses released their second studio album titledRoadhouse Sun via Lost Highway Records. It was once again produced byMarc Ford.

Bingham performed two songs for the soundtrack of the movieCrazy Heart, including "I Don't Know" and the theme song, "The Weary Kind". The song was co-written by Bingham and producer, T Bone Burnett. Bingham also played a small role in the film. On January 17, 2010, Bingham was awarded theGolden Globe for Best Original Song for "The Weary Kind". The song also won the 2010Academy Award for Best Original Song,^[27][28] the 2010 Grammy award forBest Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media,^[29] as well as Song of the Year at the 9th AnnualAmericana Music Association awards.^[30]

Bingham rejoined 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 theBillboard 200 Chart^[31] & in the Top 10 on the Billboard Rock Album Chart,^[32] makingJunky Star Bingham's highest charting and most successful release to date.

In 2012, Bingham parted ways with the Dead Horses and record label Lost Highway Records to release his fourth studio album,Tomorrowland, on his own Axster Bingham Records label.^[33] Bingham co-produced the album with musician/producerJustin Stanley. The first single released fromTomorrowland was "Heart of Rhythm". Both the single and the official lyric video debuted on Americansongwriter.com on July 30, 2012.^[34] Bingham's secondTomorrowland single "Guess Who's Knockin" debuted on rollingstone.com on September 6, 2012.^[35] The official music video for "Guess Who's Knocking" premiered on pastmagazine.com October 4, 2012.^[36]

In 2013, Bingham's song "For Anyone's Sake" appeared in the closing credits of the feature filmJoe, starringNicolas Cage. Bingham wrote the song for the film, and it was released as part of the film's original soundtrack in April 2014.^[37][38] In the same year, Bingham also wrote and recorded "Until I'm One With You", the theme song forFX TV drama seriesThe 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 Axster Bingham Records label on June 25, 2013.^[39]

In 2014, Bingham starred oppositeImogen Poots in the independent filmA Country Called Home, directed and co-written by his wife, Anna Axster. Bingham also wrote and recorded the film's title track "A Country Called Home". The song was released digitally through Bingham's own label, Axster Bingham Records, on May 6, 2016.^[40]

Bingham's fifth studio albumFear and Saturday Night was recorded mostly live at Plyrz Studio outside of Los Angeles, California.^[41] The album was co-produced by Jim Scott and released through Axster Bingham Records on January 20, 2015. The album's first single "Radio" was released on December 9, 2014. In a 2016 interview withRolling Stone magazine, Bingham shared, "'Radio' is a song I wrote about the thoughts, memories, and emotions that roll through my mind. The radio that's constantly playing in your head, night and day."^[42]

On August 6, 2016, Bingham recorded his first live album,Ryan Bingham Live, at Whitewater Amphitheater inNew Braunfels, Texas. The album was released on October 21, 2016. The entire Whitewater Amphitheater show was also filmed and streamed live byAmazon Music.^[43]

Bingham released a song titled "Back By the River" onThe Musical Mojo ofDr. John: A Celebration of Mac and his Music, in 2016.^[44]

In 2018–2020, Bingham has a guest role in thecontemporary Western television show,Yellowstone, as Walker, an itinerantranch hand.^[19][45][46]

In December 2018, Bingham announced that he would be releasing his sixth studio albumAmerican Love Song in February 2019.

In March 2020, Bingham began posting various covers and released songs on his Youtube channel in a series known as the Cantina Sessions throughout theCOVID-19 Pandemic, he continued such until the end of 2020.

Bingham has appeared as a guest onBob Harris's Country Show on theBBC'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."^[47]

Rolling Stone magazine gaveMescalito 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 likeSteve Earle's dad."^[48]

PopMatters review ofTomorrowland 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 andTomorrowland features him rocking at his best."^[49]

Tomorrowland was also reviewed by Nico Isaac fromPaste (magazine). Isaac wrote: "Tomorrowland is like a good, ol' fashioned rock anthem of kiss-my-asschaps autonomy... One thing's for sure Tomorrowland- the album and the red-blooded, rattlesnake-eating rebellious attitude—is no place for the weary kind."^[33]

Ryan's mother died due to alcohol related causes and his father died by suicide. Bingham's "Never Far Behind" from hisTomorrowland album is about his parents.^[50][51]

He announced at his performance inAustin, Texas, on March 5, 2015, that he and his wife were expecting their first child in the summer of 2015. Bingham's song "Broken Heart Tattoo" fromFear and Saturday Night is a reflection about what he would like to say to his unborn child.^[52]

On June 29, 2021, Bingham filed for divorce from his wife, Anna Axster, after 12 years of marriage. In September 2021, it was revealed that the couple's former Topanga Canyon home was sold for $2.45 million. The home was originally purchased by the couple in 2013 for $1.36 million. Bingham and Axster have three children together.^[53][54]

Since April 2023, Bingham and his female fellowYellowstone co-starHassie Harrison have been in a relationship. They were married on October 7, 2023 at her family estate in Dallas, Texas.^[55][56]

For film roles, he is credited as Ryan Bingham unless otherwise noted.

• Bingham's official website
• Review of Roadhouse Sun from CountryMusicPride.com
• Los Angeles Times article on Bingham
• Interview with LoneStarMusic.com
• Ryan Bingham atIMDb
• Ryan Bingham | "Crazy Heart" Soundtrack – A Guitar Felt A Lot Better In My Hands Than A Shovel | The European Magazine