Ryan Bingham

Tweet

Country music tends to come from a personal place within the singer/songwriter, and can range from the experience of childhood to the angst and joy of growing up and figuring out who you want to become. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the songs of relative newcomer, Ryan Bingham. This young man knows firsthand about the highs and lows of growing up and living a rootless existence, and it was this journey that inspired him to create the tunes on his debut album for Lost Highway Records, Mescalito. Ryan grew up within the hardworking, blue-collar, ranching communities of West Texas and New Mexico, where he shifted from one small town to another and lived with several family members. He started to write music at the age of 17, when he was inspired by his next door neighbor, a mariachi player, while living on the border of Mexico. While still a child, his mom bought him a guitar, but he didn't started playing until he met his neighbor. Ryan recalls, Mostly I'd go over and drink whiskey with him and watch [him play] but then he taught me some chords and he hooked me. I haven't put it down since. At the young age of 25, Ryan has indeed already lived a full life. While still in his teens, he left home and took to the road via the professional rodeo circuit. While traveling, he started to play acoustic guitar for friends and strangers he met along the way. His impromptu performances led to a gig once a week at a bar in Stephenville, Texas. The success of his musical sets prompted him to start putting his compositions on tape, which he then released himself. Ryan continued to play in bars all over Texas, which led to recognition from people in the industry such as Terry Allen, a famed songwriter and visual artist. Terry rented out one of the bars where Ryan frequently played and had him perform for several people in the business, which led to a tour gig opening up for musician, Joe Ely. Soon after, he signed with Lost Highway Records, the label that also handles talented musicians such as Willie Nelson and Ryan Adams. His debut album with Lost Highway, Mescalito, was released on October 2, 2007. The album is an autobiography of sorts, with songs created from his life experiences and inspirations. Growing up, Ryan often listened to the music of the 60s and 70s, like Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones. His single, Take It Easy Mama, is reminiscent of the kind of blues that has come to define the Stones. His collaboration with Marc Ford, the famed producer of the Black Crowes albums in the 90s, helped to infuse the album with a nice mix of wistful tunes created by finger-picking and hard riffs that come from a rhythm guitar. Of course, Mescalito would not be complete without a nod to his country, border-town upbringing, which is apparent in songs like Dollar a Day and Boracho's Station. This talented young musician may now be a part of a major record label, but his heart will always be attached to the road and the adventures that come with traveling from place to place. Ryan is currently on tour through the fall and his future plans are unknown, but Young Hollywood thinks this singer/songwriter will be sharing his life experiences with the world through many albums to come.To find out more about Ryan and where he is touring, go to www.losthighwayrecords.com and click on Ryan's name.