SATURDAY 24
MUSIC: Ryan Bingham
Ryan Bingham was born in New Mexico, grew up in West Texas, went to high school in Houston, went to college in the Texas Hill Country and rode bulls in Laredo during a stint on the rodeo circuit. So, it makes sense to describe
American Love Song, Binghams latest release, as a Texas album. He tapped Charlie Sexton, the acclaimed Austin guitarist and longtime Bob Dylan sideman, to produce what is both is the most personal and, at the same time, the most political album in his 12-year career. That career began after his stint riding bulls on the Southwest rodeo circuit, during which hed play songs for his rodeo cohorts. Their enthusiasm gave him the impetus to leave the rodeo and pursue music and form the band Dead Horses. After a pair of self-releases, Bingham signed with the respected and major-label-distributed Lost Highway Records, which released his debut in 2007. Then came
Crazy Heart. Bingham performed two songs on the soundtrack of the 2009 drama, which starred Jeff Bridges as a down-and-out Country singer (and featured Bingham in a supporting role). One of those tracks, The Weary Kind, which Bingham co-wrote with producer T Bone Burnett, served as the films theme song.
Crazy Heart became an awards-season darling, nabbing Bridges acting trophies from the Academy Awards and Golden Globes. But The Weary Kind was just as lauded, scoring an Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy. Two studio albums and one live record later, Bingham decided to tell the story of that West Texas kid in his songs on
American Love Story. Ryan Bingham headlines the final night of the three-day Whispering Beard Folk Festival at Smale Riverfront Park this Saturday. Tickets/more info: whisperingbeard.com.
Photo: Axster Bingham Records