Singer/songwriter Ryan Bingham got into bull riding in his late teens to escape homelessness and a family that had been destroyed by drug abuse. Then, sometime in his 20s he discovered he had a talent for songwriting and performing music. Gaining accolades from the likes of Tom Waits and Joe Ely, Bingham sounds like a gruff Hank Williams (minus the yodeling) with a band that plays like Highway 61-era Bob Dylan. The record, titled Roadhouse Sun, navigates through swampy, whiskey-house stomps, poignant folk and blues narrated by Bingham's hip and at times just-plain-badass lyrics. He'll be playing at the Mercury Lounge on Oct. 12. binghammusic.com.