Bingham croons at Center

(this piece was published by Planet Jackson Hole)

Once an obscure songwriter as a teenager on the road dabbling in ranch work and sleeping in his truck after rodeo competitions, Ryan Bingham’s success has not affected his gritty alt-country output one bit. Bingham won an Oscar, Grammy, Golden Globe and Critic’s Choice awards for his 2010 song “The Weary Kind,” which was prominently featured in the film Crazy Heart. He followed that up by releasing three successful major label albums with Lost Highway before going out on his own to self-release 2012’s Tomorrowland and this year’s Fear and Saturday Night. What strikes me most about Bingham is his ultra whiskey-soaked vocal chords, capable of drawing into focus the emotion behind the words that he is phrasing. It can be powerful, and is highly recommended. Bingham is currently touring as a trio, backed by electric guitar and drums. Ryan Bingham, 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Center Theater. $39-$49. JHCenterForTheArts.org, 733-2900.