By photojournalist Dan Fernandez
Ryan Bingham and The Texas Gentleman brought their All Night Long tour to Clearwater’s Ruth Eckerd Hall on Tuesday October 21 and what a night it was! The charming country star who cut his teeth in New Mexico as a self-proclaimed “Southwest drifter and professional bull rider” has quite the catalog of achievements in his closet including Grammy, Oscar, Golden Globe and Critics Choice awards as well as appearing as a co-star in the hit television show Yellowstone playing a musically inclined ranch-hand alongside the likes of Kevin Costner.
One thing is for sure; Bingham has lived 10 lifetimes prior to breaking into the big time and the authenticity of that lived perspective shines in his thoughtful and retrospective lyrics about the human experience often focused on life, love, struggle, the road ahead and coming to terms with one’s own demise. Bingham’s weathered, raspy voice and acoustic melodies often lean toward the outlaw country genre, but his music truly transcends any classification, with the artist and his backing band effortlessly, transitioning from country to soul to southern rock to funk/jam and back around the bend. Speaking of backing bands, The Texas Gentleman was the perfect outfit of touring musicians to provide that support to Bingham.
The Texas Gentleman (The Gents) is a tightknit collective touring musicians mainly from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The group originally formed as purely a backing band, going on to work with the likes many of the industries legendary names including Leon Bridges, George Straight, Ed Sheeran and the great Kris Kristofferson, who assisted in their rise to prominence in 2016 by having them perform as his backing band for his first return to stage in over 45 years. Joining Bingham on this tour were a handpicked group of musicians including a few original members. The Gents lineup for the tour consisted of Nik Lee on guitar and slide guitar, Daniel Creamer on Keys, Ryan Ake on guitar, Scott Edgar Lee Jr. on bass, Paul Grass on Drums and the old timer of the group the great Richard Bowen on fiddle and mandolin. Despite being much older than his counterparts Bowen has not slowed down a beat, his solos and break downs being some of the best parts of the evening. While The Texas Gentlemen started out as a collaboration of backing musicians, they have officially ventured into the realm of creating their own original music which you can find on all major platforms.
With no opener Bingham and The Texas Gentlemen took the stage promptly at 7:30 assuring that the fans in attendance were served with a full evening of the music that they came to see. As Bingham took center stage, he tipped and waved his trademark black cowboy hat to the crowd, his aura personifying the authenticity of a true cowboy. There is nothing manufactured about Ryan Bingham. Bingham’s playlist, which was broken up into two separate sets by an intermission, covered a vast range with tunes curated from Bingham’s solo career, his career with Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses, as well as a few of The Gents originals mixed in.
While Bingham’s music and lyrical prowess speak for themselves, he does not rely on his instrumental acumen alone to get through a performance as he banters with the audience in between songs and takes the time to give ample credit to the members of The Gents. At one point of true intimacy Bingham told the story of how he learned to play the guitar at around the age of 10. His mother had bought him a guitar to learn that Ryan took to his father’s house one weekend. Bingham’s father was a hard living man and there was always some sort of debauchery going on at his house when Ryan would visit. This visit though would be different. Upon seeing the instrument, a friend of his father asked if Ryan could play it and if he could see the guitar. The man then began to play a beautiful rendition of a mariachi song while singing in perfect Spanish. After coming to an agreement that he would teach him a piece of the song every week in exchange for a case of beer from his old man the friend began to teach Ryan a single riff of that mariachi song a week until he mastered it before, which as you can imagine took months. Bingham humorously finished the story “and that was the start of my bustling music career” proceeding to play that very song “La Malagueña” as a tribute to the lesson that started it all. Having covered plenty of shows where the musician comes out, plays his songs, says a few words and departs I must appreciate the artists who take their time to share genuine anecdotes such as this with their fans, creating a true sense of kinship.
As for the soundtrack of the evening it was hard to ask for a more thorough setlist, although I would not have minded hearing “All Choked Up Again” I cannot complain in the slightest. The first half of the evening began as a slow burn containing some very choice nugs including “I Got a Feeling”, “Wolves” and “The Lucky Ones” only to return from intermission and be met with a second half in which the tempo progressively picked up as time ticked. Highlights from the second half of the set included “The Poet”, “Let the Big Dog Eat” and “Bluebird” with “Cocaine Charlie” hands down containing the funkiest breakdown jam of the night. Bingham and The Gents then slowed it back down with fan favorites “Hallelujah”, “The Weary Kind” and “Southside of Heaven” before busting out an encore containing “Nobody Knows My Trouble”, “Sunshine” and “Bread and Water” that had everyone in the concert hall singing along and two stepping in their aisles.
Whether you were a long time Ryan Bingham fan familiar with every aspect of his discography or a relative newcomer who was introduced to him through Yellowstone, you were sure to leave Ruth Eckerd Hall feeling wholly entertained and with a slight to major hitch in your step. Ryan Bingham and The Texas Gentleman put on the type of live performance that leaves you fulfilled yet yearning for more. As their catchy rhythms play over in your head and you dissect their profound verses you cannot help but pop one of their albums on the radio for the drive home. This night is what live music is all about.
