Ben Graves
Encyclopedia
Ben Graves is a Nashville-based singer/songwriter, guitarist, and harmonica player. Originally from Martin, Tennessee
, he was the lead singer in a high school band whose other members (Carl Bell and Jody Abercromby) would become the platinum-selling hard rock outfit Fuel
. He attended Wesleyan University
(B.A., Music, 1993), Berklee College of Music
(1991–92, 1993), and Washington State University
(M.A., Jazz Studies, 1996) and moved to San Francisco, where he lived from 1996 to 2003, working with Norah Jones
sidemen Lee Alexander
and Rob Burger, as well as current Decemberists members Jenny Conlee
and Nate Query
. In 2003, he moved to Nashville Tennessee, where he worked as a sideman with country artists Rebecca Lynn Howard
, James Otto
, Amy Dalley
, Raul Malo
, among many others, and remains active as a session musician, performing songwriter, sideman, and educator.
Graves has performed with Lyle Lovett
, Nanci Griffith
, Kid Rock
, Modern Jazz Quartet
bassist Percy Heath
, Late Show drummer Anton Fig
, Flaco Jimenez
, Steve Berlin
, and many others. He has played venues such as the Grand Ole Opry
, the Ryman Auditorium, the Fillmore, the Great American Music Hall, the Edmonton Folk Festival, the Highline Ballroom, the Austin City Limits Music Festival, and has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
. He has recorded three original CDs: Crazy Italians (1997), Memphis (2001) and Live (2003). Crazy Italians included the cut "Princess Grace," which was featured on the Performing Songwriter magazine 1999 CD sampler showcasing their picks for the top 12 unsigned independent releases. Critic Russell Hall of Performing Songwriter called Crazy Italians "consistently fresh and inventive," and "intelligent pop music--tightly crafted songs that lend themselves well to improvisation in a live setting."
“Memphis” features drummer Scott Amendola
, keyboardist Rob Burger (Tin Hat Trio
, Norah Jones), and bassist Lee Alexander
(Norah Jones, Amos Lee). “Memphis” has been played on over 300 radio stations worldwide, and in the summer of 2002, charted top 30 at some 50 stations, such as WTSR Ewing, NJ (#3), WNYK Nyack, NY (#10), and WUIC Chicago (#14). Rosalie Howarth of San Francisco's KFOG called it "very, very good"; "excellent CD," said KRZA in Colorado; and "a great, great disc," said music director Sean Wilson of WTSR.
Martin, Tennessee
Martin is a city in Weakley County, Tennessee, United States. Martin is the home of the University of Tennessee at Martin. The population was 10,515 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Martin is located at ....
, he was the lead singer in a high school band whose other members (Carl Bell and Jody Abercromby) would become the platinum-selling hard rock outfit Fuel
Fuel (band)
Fuel is an American rock band formed by guitarist/songwriter Carl Bell and bassist Jeff Abercrombie in 1989. Originally known as Small the Joy, they changed the group's name to Fuel sometime in 1994...
. He attended Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
(B.A., Music, 1993), Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
(1991–92, 1993), and Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
(M.A., Jazz Studies, 1996) and moved to San Francisco, where he lived from 1996 to 2003, working with Norah Jones
Norah Jones
Norah Jones is an American singer-songwriter and occasional actress.In 2002, she launched her solo music career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album Come Away With Me, which was certified a diamond album in 2002, selling over 20 million copies...
sidemen Lee Alexander
Lee Alexander (musician)
Lee Alexander is an American bassist, songwriter, and music producer best known for his work on Norah Jones's albums Come Away With Me, Feels Like Home, and Not Too Late.-Biography:...
and Rob Burger, as well as current Decemberists members Jenny Conlee
Jenny Conlee
Jenny Conlee is the accordionist, pianist, organist, keyboardist, melodica player, and occasional backup singer and harmonicist for the indie rock quintet The Decemberists, roles she has filled on each of the band's releases.-Portland music:...
and Nate Query
Nate Query
Nate Query plays electric bass, upright bass, and cello in the rock band The Decemberists. He is also credited on Michael Zapruder's record. Former bands include Calobo and Everyday Dirt. His most recent project is the acoustic band Black Prairie with a number of other Portland...
. In 2003, he moved to Nashville Tennessee, where he worked as a sideman with country artists Rebecca Lynn Howard
Rebecca Lynn Howard
Rebecca Lynn Howard is an American country music artist. She has charted seven singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, and has released three studio albums...
, James Otto
James Otto
James Allen Otto is an American country music artist who is a member of the MuzikMafia, a group of country musicians known for their "country music without prejudice"...
, Amy Dalley
Amy Dalley
Amy Dalley is an American country music artist. Signed to Curb Records in 2003 she left the label in 2008. Dalley has released seven singles, of which five have entered the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, despite never releasing an album. Her highest-peaking single is "Men Don't Change",...
, Raul Malo
Raul Malo
Raúl Francisco Martínez-Malo Jr. , known professionally as Raúl Malo, is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and record producer. He was the lead singer of country music band The Mavericks and the co-writer of many of their singles, as well as Rick Trevino's 2003 single "In My Dreams"...
, among many others, and remains active as a session musician, performing songwriter, sideman, and educator.
Graves has performed with Lyle Lovett
Lyle Lovett
Lyle Pearce Lovett is an American singer-songwriter and actor. Active since 1980, he has recorded thirteen albums and released 21 singles to date, including his highest entry, the number 10 chart hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, "Cowboy Man"...
, Nanci Griffith
Nanci Griffith
Nanci Griffith, is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter from Austin, Texas.-Biography:...
, Kid Rock
Kid Rock
Robert James "Bob" Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations...
, Modern Jazz Quartet
Modern Jazz Quartet
The Modern Jazz Quartet was established in 1952 by Milt Jackson , John Lewis , Percy Heath , and Kenny Clarke . Connie Kay replaced Clarke in 1955...
bassist Percy Heath
Percy Heath
Percy Heath was an American jazz bassist, brother to tenor saxophonist Jimmy Heath and drummer Albert Heath, with whom he formed the Heath Brothers in 1975...
, Late Show drummer Anton Fig
Anton Fig
Anton Fig , known as "The Thunder from Down Under" is a session drummer, noted for his work in David Letterman's house band, the CBS Orchestra. Letterman often refers to Fig as "Anton Zip"or "Buddy Rich Jr."...
, Flaco Jimenez
Flaco Jiménez
Leonardo "Flaco" Jiménez is a Tejano music accordionist from San Antonio, Texas. Jiménez's father, Santiago Jiménez Sr. was a pioneer of conjunto music. He began performing with his father at age seven and recording at age fifteen, as a member of Los Caporales...
, Steve Berlin
Steve Berlin
Steve Berlin is an American saxophonist, keyboardist and record producer, best known as a member of the rock group Los Lobos and, before that, Top Jimmy & The Rhythm Pigs, The Blasters, and The Flesh Eaters...
, and many others. He has played venues such as the Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
, the Ryman Auditorium, the Fillmore, the Great American Music Hall, the Edmonton Folk Festival, the Highline Ballroom, the Austin City Limits Music Festival, and has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that initially aired from May 25, 1992 to May 29, 2009, and resumed production on March 1, 2010. The fourth incarnation of the Tonight Show franchise made its debut on May 25, 1992, three days following Johnny...
. He has recorded three original CDs: Crazy Italians (1997), Memphis (2001) and Live (2003). Crazy Italians included the cut "Princess Grace," which was featured on the Performing Songwriter magazine 1999 CD sampler showcasing their picks for the top 12 unsigned independent releases. Critic Russell Hall of Performing Songwriter called Crazy Italians "consistently fresh and inventive," and "intelligent pop music--tightly crafted songs that lend themselves well to improvisation in a live setting."
“Memphis” features drummer Scott Amendola
Scott Amendola
Scott Amendola is an American jazz drummer from the San Francisco Bay Area. His styles include jazz, blues, groove, rock and new music. He is considered central to the Bay Area music scene....
, keyboardist Rob Burger (Tin Hat Trio
Tin hat
Tin hat can refer to:* A waterproof hat made of oil-finished cloth, traditionally associated with those who work outdoors in rainy conditions such as loggers* Kettle hat, part of medieval armour...
, Norah Jones), and bassist Lee Alexander
Lee Alexander (musician)
Lee Alexander is an American bassist, songwriter, and music producer best known for his work on Norah Jones's albums Come Away With Me, Feels Like Home, and Not Too Late.-Biography:...
(Norah Jones, Amos Lee). “Memphis” has been played on over 300 radio stations worldwide, and in the summer of 2002, charted top 30 at some 50 stations, such as WTSR Ewing, NJ (#3), WNYK Nyack, NY (#10), and WUIC Chicago (#14). Rosalie Howarth of San Francisco's KFOG called it "very, very good"; "excellent CD," said KRZA in Colorado; and "a great, great disc," said music director Sean Wilson of WTSR.