A Southern roots-country rocker and former bull rider, Ryan Bingham performs with a rough style to reflect his upbringing in Texas and New Mexico ranching communities. Bingham's husky voice and mature content often make him seem wise beyond his years, and his music is infused with bayou-influenced instrumentals and Southwestern flavor. Click the link above to hear Bingham and opener Hayes Carll perform a concert from WXPN and World Café Live.
Bingham's new album, Mescalito, sounds gritty and dense, with songs such as "Borracho Station" incorporating a Spanish-language vocal. The disc also demonstrates instrumental diversity — incorporating mandolins, harmonicas, and slide guitars — that helps reflect an overall mood of loneliness and hardship.
Opening act Hayes Carll is a dryly witty 28-year-old whose humble, melodic folk tunes are often infused with humorous anecdotes. His first album, Flowers and Liquor, made him a rising star in Texas, and laid the groundwork for his fine new disc, Trouble in Mind.
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