Ryan Bingham

Do you have any hobbies?
I like anything that involves the outdoors. For some reason I always want to be outside.

What was your most embarrassing moment on stage?
I forget the words to my songs quite often. That's always embarrasing.

What got you interested in being a professional musician?
Getting the chance to do something on my own. I enjoy the freedom of life on the road and being my own boss. It was great way to escape the ghetto.

Do you have any pets?
No, but I really want a pet donkey.

Describe your first gig?
Smokey bar filled with lots of drunk cowboys, bikers, and hippies. Dice game in the corner and a big fight in the parking lot to finish it off.

Who are some of your favorite artists to listen to?
Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly, Bill Whithers, Dylan, The Stones, Waylon Jennings, UGK

Do you have any unusual stories from the road?
Compared to what? It depends on what you consider to be unusual. We had a friend disappear in mexico one night. He showed up the next morning about 7am with a transvestite, a midget, and a plastic bag full of carne asada. He had traded his boots for a stray dog and kept refering to himself as Rio the Lemon. We actually thought it was quite normal until he joined the Army.

What’s your favorite city to tour?
I really enjoy New York City. There's a lot of everything there and you can get in as much trouble as you want to. Not that I would want to...

How long have you been performing?
About 10 years

What’s the craziest thing to happen on tour?
I wasn't there on this one but one night in Nashville the band got jumped by a gang of Strippers. The girls were trying to kick down the hotel door with there high heels until the cops showed up with guns drawn and saved there asses.

What’s your favorite song to perform?
At the moment it's a new song we have called "strange feelin the air"

Where do you get the inspirations for your songs?
From people I meet and places I go.

Who is your dream artist to perform with?
Bill Withers

Where do you see yourself in 20 years?
On a sail boat in some far off ocean

What’s the hardest thing about touring?
It used to be that we would just roam around looking for gigs without really having to be anywhere. It starts getting tough when have to start being somewhere.

What advice would you give to an artist just starting out?
Stay in school

What’s the farthest city you toured?
It depends on where you start from but I guess it would have to be somewhere in Australia.

Have you met any interesting people since you started performing?
Gary Busey is an interesting guy.

Before you started recording, what’s the worst job you had?
Building fences

What’s the best job you had?
There wasn't one.

As you first started out, did you ever feel frustrated and wonder if this was ever to be?
Everyday.

Were any of your songs really difficult to reach its present form?
They're all still reaching.

Which song of yours is your favorite?
Probably "Southside of Heaven"

Which song do audiences seem to enjoy the most?
"Bread and Water"

What’s the craziest thing a fan has ever done?
Streaked across stage

Is there any instrument you wished you knew how to play?
I'd really like to play the Tuba

How do you want people to receive your music?
As openly as possible

What do you do to stay entertained while traveling to other cities?
I like to draw on Corby when he's passed out.