The Joe Rogan ExperienceRyan Bingham on Joe Rogan: Why Ranch Work Builds Stage Nerve
Texas ranch work and Yellowstone sets gave Bingham a fear-floor reset; physical discomfort, he says, transfers to stage confidence in ways comfort never can.
CHAPTERS
- 0:02 – 2:04
Austin community, Texas roots, and leaving California behind
Joe opens by praising Ryan’s live performance and they quickly shift into why Austin feels like a supportive, real community. Ryan describes the emotional relief he feels crossing back into Texas after years in Topanga Canyon.
- •McConaughey event and Ryan’s relaxed stage presence
- •Austin/Hill Country as a supportive songwriter community
- •Ryan’s plan to move back to Texas after living in LA
- •Contrast between Texas vs California culture and vibe
- 2:04 – 5:08
Yellowstone life: filming in Montana and escaping into the mountains
Ryan talks about playing Walker on Yellowstone and how the schedule let him spend lots of time fly fishing and disappearing into the backcountry. They discuss Montana’s pride, the influx of newcomers, and why mountain life gets under your skin.
- •Ryan’s enjoyment of the Yellowstone role and set life
- •Working a day or two a week and spending the rest outdoors
- •Montana’s ‘keep it ours’ attitude and plate-shaming newcomers
- •The spiritual pull and beauty of mountain environments
- 5:08 – 7:45
Guide school in Montana: pack trips, mules, and shedding modern life
Ryan recounts signing up for a six-week hunting guide school that became life-changing. He describes sleeping under tarps, waking to June snow, and how wilderness time strips life down to essentials while sharpening the senses.
- •Royal Tine Outfitters guide school and backcountry living
- •No phones/distractions; heightened sensory awareness
- •Learning to live with minimal gear and mental clarity
- •A defining moment: waking to snow and not wanting to return
- 7:45 – 14:11
Survival skills and fire craft: from pitch wood to Fritos kindling
They trade stories about wilderness skills—first aid, leatherwork, shoeing horses, entomology—and the reality of making fire in wet conditions. Joe shares an Alaska trip where Fritos became the unexpected fire-starting hero.
- •Training modules: wilderness first aid, leatherwork, horseshoeing, fly-fishing
- •Fire-building lesson: using dead pine branches/needles in wet snow
- •Bow drill and flint methods—harder than people expect
- •Alaska hunting trip: nonstop rain and using Fritos as reliable kindling
- 14:11 – 16:26
Alaska ruggedness and why true community forms in harsh places
Joe and Ryan explore how extreme environments forge cooperation and character. Alaska becomes the example: dangerous wildlife, brutal conditions, and neighbors who must help each other to survive.
- •Alaska’s unique culture: friendly but tough and pragmatic
- •Isolation and danger create real interdependence
- •Contrast with California’s ‘someone else will help’ mindset
- •Texas parallels: neighbors with tractors, welders, and hands-on tradition
- 16:26 – 20:45
Work ethic from ranch life: hay hauling, manual labor, and building skills
They reminisce about physically demanding jobs—stacking hay in brutal heat and Joe’s attic insulation misery—and how those experiences build resilience. Ryan credits that upbringing for practical competence and self-reliance at home.
- •Hay hauling as a rite of passage and ‘farmer strength’
- •Manual labor teaches work ethic and clarifies what you don’t want
- •Ryan’s granddad lined up jobs: mowing, fencing, ranch tasks
- •Modern kids lacking hands-on skills; the satisfaction of DIY projects
- 20:45 – 25:46
Primal appeal of cowboy life and animals: horses as therapy and connection
They dig into why people romanticize ranch life and shows like Yellowstone—something ancestral wakes up when you work outdoors or connect with animals. Ryan shares stories about his kids bonding with horses and mules, and Joe discusses equine therapy.
- •The ‘genetic memory’ of land-based survival and satisfaction
- •Horse ownership surge after Yellowstone
- •Kids’ calming connection with horses and mules
- •Equine therapy for anxiety/depression and the ancient human-horse bond
- 25:46 – 40:38
Hunting and conservation tangents: Remy Warren, axis deer in Lanai, and invasive species debates
Ryan describes meeting hunter Remy Warren in Montana and hunting axis deer in Hawaii. The conversation expands into how introduced species spread, the difficulty of bow hunting axis deer, and controversies like Catalina deer eradication and private ranch elk.
- •Remy Warren as a mountain ‘cheat code’ and elite endurance
- •Axis deer origin story and population explosion in Lanai
- •Bow hunting challenges vs rifle certainty; best hunting tactics
- •Catalina mule deer eradication plan and broader ‘invasive species’ disputes
- •Tejon Ranch elk and wildlife living alongside people (e.g., golf courses)
- 40:38 – 55:13
Predators near people: wolves returning, mountain lions, and the politics of wildlife management
Joe and Ryan discuss wolves traveling hundreds of miles and being detected in LA County, plus mountain lions and coyotes thriving near suburbs. Joe argues for practical population control, criticizing policies that limit effective hunting and create conflict.
- •Wolf GPS tracking distances and new sightings in California
- •Wolves stealing lion kills; predator interactions
- •Mountain lions near homes, pets as major food source, and safety risks
- •Debate over hunting bans (dogs for lions/bears) and population growth
- •Urban ideology vs rural realities of managing dangerous wildlife
- 55:13 – 1:04:09
Topanga wildfire evacuations: moving horses, shifting winds, and firefighter heroics
Ryan recounts terrifying wildfire evacuations with horses and dogs as wind-driven fires multiplied and power was cut. They praise the coordinated skill of helicopter and tanker crews, then shift to frustration about preparedness failures like empty reservoirs.
- •Ryan’s real-time decision-making: leave early, avoid the rush
- •Evacuation logistics with horses and limited places to go
- •Wind shifts turning ‘safe’ areas into fire corridors
- •Respect for firefighters and pilots managing thermals and heavy drops
- •Anger at infrastructure failures and bureaucratic inertia
- 1:04:09 – 1:23:03
After the flames: toxic fallout, groundwater worries, and California bureaucracy
They consider long-term contamination from burned electronics, treated materials, and EV batteries, and what that means for air and water quality. Ryan laments red tape that blocks quick practical fixes, while Joe broadens the critique to regulation-driven dysfunction.
- •Smoke/ash health impacts even miles away; lingering throat irritation
- •Toxic residues: plastics, electronics, asbestos/lead, treated lumber
- •Groundwater and well/septic concerns in canyon communities
- •Permitting delays vs ‘call Frank with a bulldozer’ mentality
- •Cost of living and governance pushing residents to leave
- 1:23:03 – 1:28:05
Bull riding beginnings: from junior rodeos to PBR-era intensity
The conversation pivots to Ryan’s bull riding history—starting on steers at 10, escalating through levels, and how the sport changed as breeding programs made bulls more explosive. Joe reacts to the sheer risk and mindset required.
- •Riding steers as a kid; graduating to junior bulls and pro events
- •Old-school era: no helmets/vests; later evolution into a high-performance sport
- •Breeding bulls like racehorses increased difficulty and danger
- •Road culture: weekends with friends, rodeo circuit community
- •Mental confidence as the core skill (not strength)
- 1:28:05 – 1:34:59
From rodeo to songwriting: learning guitar, Texas dance halls, and first bar gigs
Ryan explains how music entered his rodeo life through dances and bands after events. A mariachi tune (‘La Malagueña’) became his gateway, leading to self-taught chords, songs about road adventures, and paid gigs that out-earned day labor.
- •Rodeo dances and Texas songwriter culture as the incubator
- •First real lesson: learning ‘La Malagueña’ in Laredo
- •Stephenville/Tarleton scene: City Limits and Texas bands influence
- •Writing songs from rodeo travel stories and limited distractions
- •Early gigs: rodeo after-parties to bars; tips/free food as a turning point
- 1:34:59 – 1:40:19
Breaking into acting: Crazy Heart, Taylor Sheridan, and landing Yellowstone
Ryan describes the thin line between music work and acting opportunities—writing for films, meeting producers, and connecting with Taylor Sheridan. Yellowstone started as song contributions, then became an on-screen role that grew if he ‘didn’t suck.’
- •Crazy Heart involvement and songwriting for film/TV
- •Meeting John Linson and Taylor Sheridan via LA network
- •Yellowstone entry point: writing songs, then casting based on ranch/rodeo skills
- •No formal acting training; relying on authenticity and scene partners
- •Learning through working with strong actors and reacting naturally
- 1:40:19 – 2:22:16
Injuries, grit, and why music felt easier than bulls (plus the modern music landscape)
Ryan recounts his worst bull riding injury—teeth knocked out and lip torn—underscoring the risk and lack of safety net. They connect that toughness to confidence in music and discuss today’s country resurgence, internet-driven careers, and protecting songwriting as therapy.
- •Graphic injury story: head-butt, dragged, dental reconstruction without insurance
- •Rodeo hardship as preparation for touring and uncertainty
- •Cowboy identity shifts, then country/Americana resurgence (Zach Bryan, Charley Crockett, Colter Wall)
- •Internet era: rapid learning (YouTube guitar lessons) and viral explosions (Oliver Anthony)
- •Protecting the craft: songwriting as personal healing and the core value beyond fame
