With an Oscar and a Grammy already under his belt (not to mention a Golden Globe), Ryan Bingham is halfway to an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony).
Bingham earned those honors after co-writing the song “The Weary Kind” for the 2009 film “Crazy Heart.” The success brought new opportunities for the Texas songwriter and let him stretch his creative muscles.
Before recording his fourth album, “Tomorrowland,” Bingham, who performs Tuesday at Wooly’s, made some big changes. He founded his own record label, Axster/Bingham Records, after releasing his first three albums on Lost Highway Records. He split with his backing band, The Dead Horses, and put together a new group of musicians for the studio sessions.
“A lot of it came from playing the electric guitar,” Bingham said during a phone interview. “I started out playing mainly acoustic, solo shows for a long time. It wasn’t until I got my band together and Marc Ford (The Black Crowes guitarist who produced Bingham’s first two albums) put an electric guitar in my hand and told me to try it out that I did. I started doing a lot of experimenting with the guitar and different amps, and the melodies I was writing were coming from the electric guitar.”
He said he wanted to go into the studio, “lay down tracks and let the music create itself. To not go in with an agenda or plan.”
The Dead Horses went their own ways due to a variety of factors. Bingham said the group had been touring together nearly non-stop for 10 years. When it finally took a break, the members married and started working on other projects. When Bingham moved to Los Angeles, it just made sense to start working with new people.
The switch from Texas to Los Angeles was a big one for Bingham. Texas was in his blood and played a big part in his musical style. His dad and uncle owned a bar in the ’60s and ’70s, and though it closed before Bingham was born, his dad kept the records that were played there. He grew up listening to old-school rock, country and blues, all genres that still influence his style.
It was those influences that inspired “The Weary Kind” and the other songs Bingham wrote for “Crazy Heart.”
“I just read the script, there was nothing put together, so I tried to relate to that character in my own way,” Bingham said. “My father and his friends were like that character (Jeff Bridges’ country musician, Otis “Bad” Blake): old, rough West Texas guys. I wrote out my experiences growing up with characters like that. I didn’t think about the film aspect too much.”
Rather than recording each part individually, on “Tomorrowland” Bingham tried to record the way musicians used, together in a room, as if playing live.
“I think that kind of approach keeps things from sounding too polished,” Bingham said. “Playing live, hopefully you can capture some of the beautiful mistakes you get in a show. I like to keep things a little loose.”
Ryan Bingham
Ryan Bingham
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Wooly’s, 504 E. Locust St.
Cost: $22 in advance,
$25 day of show
Info: ticketfly.com
