Ryan Bingham has never chased a lane. He’s drifted into them... through rodeo dust, roadside honky-tonks, backroom bars, and stages that stretch from West Texas to Europe. Known to millions as Walker on Yellowstone, Bingham is, at heart, still a songwriter who learned early that if the beer was cold and the room was full, there’d always be a place to play.
Today, that same instinct fuels a 40-city tour, a growing bourbon brand, and an upcoming appearance in Scottsdale celebrating music, spirits, and the arts. We sat down with Bingham straight from Texas to talk about ranch life, songwriting, Yellowstone, love, whiskey, and why authenticity is still the only thing that matters.
You wear many hats... musician, actor, storyteller, bourbon founder. Who do you feel most like right now?
At the end of the day, and at the beginning of the day, I guess I’m a songwriter. I come from a ranching family in New Mexico and West Texas. I put my boots on in the morning and I’m just kind of me, without any of the labels.
Through the music, even in the early days, I was always playing in bars and restaurants and backyard parties and rodeo tailgates. I learned early on that if people were drinking spirits, I’d usually always have a gig. So the spirits were always part of the party. It all kind of fits together.
You grew up not far from where Yellowstone was filmed. What was ranch life like as a kid?
For me, junior rodeo was kind of like Little League baseball for other kids. You had to grow up around it to be involved. My family goes back four or five generations out there in West Texas and eastern New Mexico. It’s a way of life... it gets into your bones early.
People imagine the cowboy cliché... sitting by the fire with a guitar. Was that your reality?
Not really. I didn’t pick up a guitar until my late teens. But I grew up around honky-tonks, dances, roadhouses. My parents would take us to local dances, rodeos always had bands afterward. Live music was just always around.
When you started playing gigs, were you doing covers?
Not many. That’s how I got into writing songs. I didn’t have training. My mom bought me a guitar and a chord book. I couldn’t figure out songs off the radio, so I learned two or three chords and started making stuff up.
Early on, I’d write songs about the weekends... rodeo life, the places we’d been. I’d play the same four or five songs over and over. Most folks weren’t there for the music anyway... they were there to drink beer and play pool. I was just a jukebox in the corner.
A mentor once told you, “Take care of your art and your art will take care of you.” When did that really land?
That came from Terry Allen. He and Joe Ely were huge mentors early on. That advice was pivotal especially when you’re young and figuring out who you are.
I always looked at songs like a conversation. People can tell if you’re full of crap. If you’re honest, people connect. That’s universal.
I remember playing London for the first time, thinking, How are these people going to relate to cowboy songs? But they did. Because it wasn’t about the ranch... it was about life.
You have new music coming and a 40-city tour. What inspired this next chapter?
I didn’t have a plan for this album. I took it one song at a time. One day I was sitting on the couch with Hassie and she said, “You’ve got a lot of sad cowboy songs. How about a few glad ones?”
She was right. I wrote a song called Blue Skies right then. There are a lot of love songs on this record. Hassie’s a pretty good inspiration.
Let’s talk Yellowstone. Team Beth or Team Jamie?
I’m Team Hassie. Team Laramie.
Did you watch the show while filming?
Not really. I liked reading the scripts as they came in without anticipating anything. A lot of the time I only knew my scenes. I didn’t know what was happening in the larger story.
How did the role of Walker come into your life?
I met Taylor Sheridan years ago when he was working on Wind River. At first, he just wanted me to write music. Later, he found out I came from a ranching background and rode bulls.
He said, “I don’t know what I’m going to do with you, but I’ll find a role.” He also said, “If you’re good, we’ll keep you. If you suck, we’ll kill you.”
Every season I wondered if I was headed to the train station.
In what ways does Walker reflect you?
The cowboy part. I drew inspiration from guys I grew up around... real ranch cowboys. A lot of Walker came from that world.
But I’m not as confrontational as Walker. I try to avoid pushing buttons in real life.
Any behind-the-scenes moments you’ll never forget?
Roping the bear with Jimmy.
There was a real bear on set and a stunt guy in a bear suit. The horses could smell the bear and were losing their minds. I had one shot at roping it. Somehow, it worked.
That’s something you only read about in old stories. I’ll never forget it.
What about the snake scene?!
Snakes. Those rattlesnake scenes were brutal. There were fake snakes and real ones, and you couldn’t tell the difference. I didn’t want one in my sleeping bag.
That feels like a good moment to bring up bourbon.
Yeah. That’s a good transition.
You’re coming to Scottsdale on March 21st for We-Ko-Pa Casino's Celebrity Wine & Spirits Festival...
Yes, can't wait. We're bringing Bingham's Bourbon to the Valley. We officially launched it about three or four years ago. A long process... learning the business, the history, the craft.
My family owned a bar growing up. I played dive bars for years. I learned early that I was just as much a booze salesman as a musician.
Later, traveling the world, I got into whiskey as a hobby. Fans would buy shots after shows, and we finally decided: it’d be cool to have our own.
What makes your bourbon yours?
I wanted it smooth and drinkable. Something people could actually enjoy. The 80-proof is easy, the 90-proof sneaks up on you. It still tastes like whiskey; has spice and a little Texas pecan.
I treat the bourbon like the songs. Put love into it and let it find its people.
How do you like to drink it?
Straight. Around a fire at night. That’s my speed.
The event, located at Scottsdale Civic Center, benefits the arts. Why is supporting the arts important to you?
Writing songs was therapy for me. It helped me process life when I didn’t know how to talk about things.
That hasn’t changed. I still write songs for myself first. Art gives people a way to feel less alone; to process things together. That matters. Especially for kids who don’t fit into sports or traditional lanes.
Looking back, from rodeos to Yellowstone to bourbon, how does it feel?
It didn’t happen overnight. It was 20-plus years of one town, one song, one fan at a time. It was hard. It was beautiful. I wouldn’t trade any of it.
Yellowstone brought more than a role into your life. That's where you met your wife, Hassie Harrison, who played Laramie.
You know, that’s something I’m really grateful for. We met through the show, but what happened between us had nothing to do with cameras or characters. It was real life. We both live pretty grounded lives, and there was an understanding there from the start. Getting married and building a life together feels like the most natural thing in the world. At the end of the day, that’s the part that matters most.
Last question. Karaoke night in a honky-tonk. What are you singing?
AC/DC. Shook Me All Night Long.
ryanbingham.com
binghamsbourbon.com
"Straight. Around a fire at night. That’s my speed."
Sip VIP Style!
The 2026 We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort Celebrity Wine & Spirits Festival returns to the Scottsdale Civic Center on Saturday, March 21st, 2026 (with VIP options), featuring over 40 celebrity-backed beverage brands.
scottsdalearts.org/whats-on/events/we-ko-pa-celebrity-wine-spirits-festival
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