From The Herald on heraldscotland.com

The music business has a nasty habit of lifting people up and then dumping them on their backsides.

So maybe the best preparation for dealing with the music business is another business that lifts people up and dumps them on their backsides, like riding bulls in rodeos.

Ryan Bingham landed on his posterior more than a few times when he was competing in the junior bull ride circuit around south-east New Mexico and Texas and says that may account for his refusal to get carried away now his second career, as a singer-songwriter, is reaping the rewards.

This year began with Bingham carrying off an Oscar for his song The Weary Kind from the soundtrack to Crazy Heart and has continued with him winning the Song of the Year award, for the same song, and Artist of the Year title at the Americana Awards in Nashville. Now his third album, Junky Star, which was produced by T Bone Burnett, Bingham’s collaborator on the Crazy Heart soundtrack, is picking up the reviews and sales that point to further success.

Raised on the New Mexico cattle ranch his great grandfather founded and passed down through the family, Bingham watched his uncle competing in bull rides and decided he’d like to give it a try.

It was hearing the Texas songwriters Townes Van Zandt, Terry Allen and Joe Ely at the age of 17 that lured him away from rodeos.

(read full story on heraldscotland.com)