The Joe Rogan Experience #2489
Guest: Ryan Bingham
Date: April 24, 2026

Episode Overview

Joe Rogan sits down with Ryan Bingham—singer-songwriter, actor (notably on "Yellowstone"), former rodeo bull rider, and American cowboy. The episode explores Bingham's authentic, unconventional life journey, offering an in-depth discussion on nature, the American West, hard work, survival, music, and the changing landscapes (literal and cultural) of Texas, Montana, and California. The conversation is filled with stories about how rugged living shapes character, the romanticism and reality of cowboy life, the role of community, the impact of wild animals, and the preservation of authentic artistry in the era of social media.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Power of Community and Place

• Austin and Hill Country: Bingham praises the open, supportive culture for artists and musicians in Austin and Texas Hill Country. Rogan contrasts this with California, appreciating the down-to-earth people in Texas.
  • "I really grown to just appreciate the community around here in Austin, in the hill country area and all of that stuff. I definitely wouldn't have the career, I don't think, if it wouldn't have been for the community around here." — Ryan Bingham (00:56)
• Relocation Stories: Rogan and Bingham both talk about moving and the differences between Texas, Montana, and California.

The "Yellowstone" Experience & The Appeal of the West

• Role on Yellowstone: Bingham enjoyed his time on the show and reflects on how filming in Montana opened him up to new experiences and adventures.

  • "It was so much fun, man. I laugh. I always talk about it, I felt like I had, like, one of the easiest jobs there... Most of the time, I'd work like one or two days a week and then the rest of the time, I'd just be like, fly fishing and get lost." — Ryan Bingham (02:10)

• Montana & Rugged Living: The pair discuss the draw and toughness of Montana. Rogan notes how shows like "Yellowstone" have made these places more popular but also generated pushback from locals.

Nature, Wilderness, and Survival

• Guide School & Outdoor Skills: Bingham attended a hunting guide school, describing the life-changing impact of being immersed in the wild, acquiring survival skills, and learning to appreciate simplicity.
  • "I remember one morning I woke up...and the snow was just falling down on [the horses’] backs. And there was that moment in me I was like, I don't know if I'm ever going back...this is where, where I need to be." — Ryan Bingham (06:15)
• Survival Skills: Both men share fire-making stories, with Rogan revealing that Fritos are great kindling (13:25).
• Favorite Wilderness Personalities: Discussion of survivalists like Clay Hayes and MeatEater's Steve Rinella; both hosts laud the practicality of wilderness knowledge.

Wild Animals, Land Management & American Wildlife

• Human-Wildlife Encounters: Anecdotes about mountain lions, wolves, bears, wild pigs, and deer invading human spaces; the grandeur and challenges of coexisting with wildlife in the U.S.

• Land & Species Management Controversies:

  • The debate on eradicating non-native species (deer, pigs) and predator reintroductions.
  • "You're monkeying around with wildlife, nature, biology, and you...have no idea." — Joe Rogan (46:56)
  • "The humans have interrupted that whole idea [of natural balance]." — Joe Rogan (55:20)

• Public Land as a National Treasure:

  • "The United States has so much public land...unlike any country...the amount of land that we have that's available to Americans." — Joe Rogan (80:20)

The Romanticism, Reality & Evolution of Cowboy Life

• Physical Labor & Resiliency: Both reflect on tough manual labor (hauling hay, insulation work) teaching life lessons and tenacity. Rogan calls bull riders "strong motherfu," and Bingham credits these experiences with the mental strength necessary for his later successes (18:23–21:00).
• The "Real Cowboy" Identity: Bingham outlines the tradition, culture, and often misrepresented reality of cowboy life in Americana, how authenticity stands out amid "stolen valor" (112:04).
• Transition to Arts:
  • Bingham learns guitar in border country, begins writing songs about rodeo life, and slowly transitions from rodeo to music—culminating in his current success.
    • "I learned pretty quickly that the guitar felt a lot better in my hands than that shovel." — Ryan Bingham (19:19)

Music, Success, and Remaining Authentic

• Organic Growth as a Musician: Bingham credits environment, community, and daily improvisation (playing for friends post-rodeo) for developing his songwriting and performing talent—without formal music education.

  • "I didn't have high expectations, but I just liked...People were so supportive then. If you had a song to play...get up and play, we're all in it together." — Ryan Bingham (94:42)

• Luck and Preparation: Both men agree that life experience determines how you capitalize on luck.

  • "Luck is a factor, but it's only a factor if you've already had all those other experiences." — Joe Rogan (110:19)

• Advice to Aspiring Artists: Protect songwriting as spiritual self-therapy; focus on the creative process rather than chasing fame/status.

  • "Just keep writing. Keep making it...and just be unreliable. And at the end of the day, if all of that stuff disappears...you can always go sit on the sidewalk and put your tip jar out there and play a song." — Ryan Bingham (139:08)

• Modern Music Landscape: Celebrates the rise of authentic country/folk artists (Zach Bryan, Oliver Anthony, Coulter Wall, Charlie Crockett) and power of the internet to rapidly share genuine music (130:03–138:24).

The "Romance" and Challenges of Rural Life

• Fire, Disasters, and California Bureaucracy: Evacuation stories, difficulty of rebuilding after wildfires, environmental hazards from chemical runoff, and frustrations with excessive regulation (61:02–71:14).
• Struggles of Land and Wildlife Management: Governmental mismanagement of wildlife, overregulation, and a nostalgic longing for more straightforward problem-solving, community-driven action.

Mental Health, Creativity, and Comedy

• Bingham discusses how songwriting was therapeutic for him, allowing expression of emotions he couldn't talk about ("I like got some of that stuff off my chest, like it changed me..." — 127:37). Rogan compares the catharsis of music and stand-up comedy, especially as both can unite, heal, and inspire people to hope and resilience.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Nature’s Impact:
  "There's something you get up there in those mountains that gets in your bones. It gets into your blood. It's a spiritual place."
  — Ryan Bingham (03:55)

• On the Cowboy Spirit:
  "I started when I was a kid...riding steers when I was like 10 in the junior rodeos...it was just like little league baseball, you know, where I grew up."
  — Ryan Bingham (85:12)

• On Mental Strength from Rodeo:
  "It's all mental. It's all in your mind...It's not, 'I think I can.' It's, 'I know I can and I will.' If you don't believe that every time you go put your rope on...it ain't gonna happen."
  — Ryan Bingham (100:41)

• Survival and Simplicity:
  "By the time I got out of [guide school], all I needed was a pair of scissors and some way to start fire."
  — Ryan Bingham (07:09)

• On Creative Authenticity:
  "Hold on to [your songwriting], protect that ruthlessly...What I get out of music is...when I'm sitting at home in a room all by myself...that's what saved my life."
  — Ryan Bingham (141:12)

• Joe Rogan on Fate and Character:
  "Part of who you are is the character that you've developed from what you've done."
  (110:44)

Notable Timestamps

• Live Performance Reflections & Austin Community: 00:17–01:34
• Transition from Hollywood to Texas/Montana: 01:40–02:44
• "Yellowstone" & Nature's Pull: 02:04–06:15
• Survivalist Wisdom & Guide School: 05:08–13:20
• Fire Stories, Fritos for Survival: 13:25–14:30
• Community, Manual Labor, Work Ethic: 17:04–21:00
• Cowboy Culture & Skills Generations: 21:00–23:30
• Hunting, Public Lands, and Wildlife Management: 56:14–82:47
• Bull Riding Stories & Perils: 85:07–107:47
• Music Career, Self-Taught Journey: 90:12–96:58, 132:20–141:49
• Modern Country/Folk Renaissance: 114:15–138:24
• Therapeutic Power of Music & Comedy: 125:37–127:37

Conclusion

Ryan Bingham and Joe Rogan deliver a raw, engaging conversation celebrating the romantic and gritty reality of cowboy life, the spiritual necessity of wild places, and the enduring power of community, grit, and art. The episode is a love letter to American authenticity—showing how deep roots, hard work, and honest expression still cut through a noisy, modern world.

For more: tour dates and music at BinghamMusic.com, and follow Ryan on social media (mostly Instagram).

Summary compiled to capture the richness, tone, and lessons of this remarkable episode.