Let’s be honest, I am no expert in the Country Music genre.
However, following this fascinating glimpse into the life and career of Ben Brookes Belcher, it’s safe to say that that I now know a hell of a lot more than I did!
Ben was raised in a gritty strip coal mine community in Cabin Creek, West Virginia, USA. He grew up listening to stalwart Bluegrass and Country legends like Flatt & Scruggs, Merle Haggard and Chet Atkins. We listen as he takes us on a musical voyage, from playing alongside his Father to touring with musical artists such as, Marshall Tucker, Molly Hatchet, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Black Oak Arkansas, Little Texas, Charlie Daniels, Kentucky Head-hunters, Billy Ray Cyrus, Neal McCoy, Pirates of the Mississippi, John Michael Montgomery, Blackhawk and Joe Diffie, to name but a few.
Ben shares his observations on the current musical climate for his genre, some insightful anecdotes and a few heartfelt personal stories from his lifetime in the music industry. Along the way, we hear some of the tracks that perfectly illustrate the feelings, emotion and inspiration of this incredible journey,
We hear about his experiences working on recordings with legendary Producer & Engineer Bill Halverson, and how he’s now producing and recording in his own studio, under his own independent label, ‘Timberwolf Records & Production’ in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
We learn about some exciting new work Ben has recorded recently, what he’s listening to at the moment for inspiration and what we can expect from ‘The Shack’ studio in the future.
