Actor and singer-songwriter Ryan Bingham is letting fans in on the process of creating his next full-length album.
Bingham’s career has skyrocketed over the past few years, and with all of the work he’s putting in, he’s showing no signs of slowing down.
He recently performed at the largest ticketed event in U.S. history, which was headlined by Zach Bryan and John Mayer. And he just released his brand new song, “The Lucky Ones,” with his band The Texas Gentlemen.
Fans of the show Yellowstone might also know Bingham as the character Walker, a ranch hand on the Dutton Ranch. Interestingly, his involvement in the show began through his music before he was ever cast in an acting role.
Now, his full focus is on the music he’s creating. In a recent interview with PEOPLE, Bingham opened up about working on new material and shared how his upcoming album is coming together.
“I got a bunch of new songs that’s going to be coming out sometime next year,” he told the outlet. “We’re still working on it… I always like to test them out live. People will let you know real quick whether they think they like it or not.”
This project will be his first full-length album since his 2023 release Watch Out for the Wolf. It’s an especially exciting process for Bingham, too, now that he’s enjoying more creative freedom.
“I am on my own label now and all that stuff, so there ain’t anybody telling me what to f***ing do and what to write or anything like that,” he said. “I’m just like, man, we’re just going to go record all these songs that we like and we’re having fun with and let’s go let it rip.”
Since Bingham writes his own songs, he’s always searching for inspiration. He’s even said that the best way to write something real is to live it first.
“You just gotta get out there and live first, and then they always seem to pop up,” he said.
For the Academy Award-winning musician, one of the biggest sources of inspiration is his wife, Hassie. The couple, who married in 2023, also worked together on Yellowstone.
“She’s really brought a spark and a fire back in me that’s letting me have a lot more fun with it,” he shared. “Just writing some fun and from is still a genuine place in me that’s just like, I’m happy I’m having fun. It brings a lot of joy.”
But rest assured, fans can expect his new album to have just as many “sad cowboy songs” as there are love songs.
“I’ve got plenty of sad cowboy songs in the can. So to have this whole fresh new batch of music being really positive … it’s uplifting for me, it makes me feel good when I’m singing these songs. I’m excited to have that opportunity to go out and play these on the road.”
Ryan Bingham and his band, The Texas Gentlemen, are currently on their All Night Long Tour. They’ll be traveling until mid-December, with their last show in Thackerville, OK.