Americana
Americana songwriter Ryan Bingham was born in Hobbs, N.M., hard up against the Texas Panhandle. He grew up in the west Texas oil fields before riding as a teenage rodeo cowboy in small towns across the state. Along the journey, he absorbed the Cajun culture of western Louisiana, the hardcore hip-hop of Houston and the border songs of Mexican immigrants. Until landing in California in 2007, he’d never lived in a one place for more than two years.
Bingham’s music ranges from Woody Guthrie-style folk song to Spanish balladry to gritty hard rock. His old soul songwriting and weather-beaten vocals earned him a Grammy and an Oscar for “The Weary Kind” from the 2009 film, “Crazy Heart,” and his latest moody, meditative collection of songs, “Watch Out for the Wolf,” came out in 2023. Bingham performs with The Texas Gentlemen on Aug. 31 at 7 p.m. at Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harvey’s in Stateline, Nev. | ryanbingham.com
