This week’s artist spotlight is on Ben Jarrell. Ben is one of the first artists who I reached out to and has been nothing but supportive of what we are doing at Get Western. Today I hope y’all can learn a little bit about where Ben got his start and what he’s all about behind his music, because really, who is Ben Jarrell?

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Ben Jarrell is an artist who is originally from Southeast Alabama, who’s been living in Nashville for eight years. Ben said he first started singing at a young age and playing instruments in his early teens, going on to say, “I always loved Country music and Rock N Roll since I was a kid. Later, I would get into Blues, Bluegrass, and Stringband Music.” When it comes to describing Ben’s sound, he describes it as “a mixture of classic country and classic rock n roll. The current record I’m working on kind of sounds like ‘Merle Haggard and The Heartbreakers’? Haha, I never know how to answer that very well.”

Where did Ben get his inspiration to start making his music? He said, “My mother sings and plays piano, mostly gospel music. My grandmother loved music and always encouraged me. When I was young, there were these older guys that would play around my region. They were twin brothers, and they did a Johnny Cash impersonation kind of thing. That’s one of the first times I kind of wanted to do it. Then later, I was in rock n roll bands, and it was mostly just to meet girls. Haha.” What about artists from the past or present that have influenced him in his music career? He said, “Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Tom Petty, Waylon, and Warren Zevon come to mind for the ‘past’ influences. As far as the present, I’d say Sturgill Simpson, Brent Cobb, Taylor Hunnicut, The Red Clay Strays, and Sam Morrow.”

Every artist has a favorite show or venue to play. Ben said his is “The Temple Live in Fort Smith is still one of my favorites. It was a magic night, great crowd and amazing sound.” But when it comes to dream venues, Ben said, “I don’t really have a ‘dream venue’ that I really want to play. Whichever one has the best crowd, best sound, and pays the most, I guess?”

Some artists have had turning points in their career, and some haven’t yet. As for Ben, he said, “Well, I’ve certainly learned plenty of lessons. Bad record deals, bad management, bad decisions, burned bridges, etc. I’ve kept my head above water and stayed on course, but no real ‘turning point’ moment that I can think of.” What’s something about Ben or his band that people might not expect? Ben said, “Years ago, my old bass player started this thing we would do after shows, and I now do it religiously. After every show, as soon as I leave, I like everyone to be quiet, put on Teddy Pendergrass’ ‘Love T.K.O.’ and just come down for the duration of the song. It’s kind of funny, but it really works. Just smooths everyone out post-show.” (I love that for them.)

What does Ben want people to feel when they hear his music? He said, “I just hope that they feel something and that they enjoy it.” What does success look like for Ben in music? “Success to me means the most fortune with the smallest amount of fame, all while never being told what kind of music to make by anyone.” How does Ben balance music with the rest of life? He told us, “I’m terrible at balancing it. Music consumes everything around me.” I will say Ben does put out a lot of amazing music, this may be why.

What’s one piece of advice Ben would give to someone just starting out in music? He said, “Don’t listen to anyone who says there’s only ‘one’ way to do anything. And don’t do cocaine because it’s a lie. (Greg Allman quote).” Regarding new music, Ben said, “I’ll be releasing an acoustic album in about a month or so, along with a full-production album in the fall.” The acoustic album is out now, so go check it out! If you want to stay up to date with Ben go give him a follow his linktree is below!

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Thank you for reading this week’s artist spotlight! I hope you enjoyed getting to know who Ben Jarrell is behind his music. Go check him out, and go catch him at a show. As always, be good to yourself, stay western, and stay tuned.

Ben’s Linktree- https://linktr.ee/BenJarrellMusic

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