In Groups: Dark Water (3) Artist [a5580126] Edit Artist Marketplace 365 For Sale Vinyl and CD Discography I love it dearly. And she was quick to chastise me or any others for doing such. Eventually we started to do some drive-in shows as those became the new model. We didn't even talk about what we were writing for, but I played it for Dave Cobb, when we were doing pre-production over the phone. Most days you can find in the studio and on tour with Kristian Bush. Their second album released in 2009, Little Piece of Dixie. We pulled down a bunch of his amps and I used an old Magnatone on a song and maybe an Ampeg Gemini. Were really enjoying it. Other than that, I think just tremolo and reverb from that amp. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Notify me of follow-up comments via e-mail. Ive never been blown away by a support artist more than Drake White. We saw them in January, 2019, on the Southern Rock Cruise. I owned a vintage one in the '90s, which had a badly repaired headstock break so I sold it, but it was so cool. Their debut album, Bad Luck Ain't No Crime, was released in 2003. Theres a lot of love there. Is the Les Paul Junior still your number one? 3:07 pm. Corncaster We like the records we make and we dont feel like we sacrifice our integrity to try and step a rung higher on the ladder. They are the first independently-released artist to hit No. "Then I went through the years of just playing the guitar, terrified to sing. Lonnie also grew up in Rome where he has known the band for more than 8 years. In 2018, they added touring members Benji Shanks (guitar) and Preston Holcomb (percussion). Crossed paths with Benji back in 2015 or so when he was on tour with Kristian Bush of Sugarland fame. Benji, sat in with Widespread Panic in Knoxville, Tennesee, for a song cover Panic plays called Ophelia by The Band. I was watching television one morning, drinking a cup of coffee, and I heard a fellow on the news being interviewed. February 24, 2021 @ The tone was a little brighter and a little cleaner, but just as fabulous. Blackberry Smoke has much to celebrate. He plays in two bands: Big in China and Friends of the Brothers, with Guitar Worlds Andy Aledort. The album features guest appearances by Warren Haynes, Jamey Johnson and the Black Bettys, and was overseen by Nashvilles hottest producer, Georgia native Dave Cobb. Ive got everything we need and more.' Aug 17, 2022. "Benji" may be referring to two or more different heroes. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. After we went into the control room and heard it, we all said, Wow, this actually sounds great!, One of the songs was Wet Willies Keep on Smilin.. Benji Shanks Without a doubt. The name of the band was called Spit Shine, a small punk rock band out of Rome high school. Preston came after we made Find a Light, our last album. Charlie Starr and Benji Shanks - Aint Wasting Time No More and maybe let the other guy play a solo once in a while. Starr worked in a body shop like his dad by day, playing honky tonks and bars and partying hard by night. I suspect theyre playing to a click, and its holding them back. Robert Lee Kerns- National HOG ( Harley Owners Group ) Chapter Member in Columbus, GA. " Play on Benji Shanks and BlackBerry Smoke ! It all happened in one day, without planning to put it together as a project, because were not a cover band. "It would be a lie to say the first day, but the first time we sold out a headlining club show playing our musicthey're there to see us, not some band were opening for. I love this band, also love when Black Bettys performing with the band. "But Dickey was playing a little more laid back at times and bringing a little more country, which developed later, with Blue Sky and Ramblin Man. I think every guitar player has that one guitar that is the one.. There's been an evolution of my playing and our music over the life of the band, but I don't think it's drastic, Starr says. 12:31 am. What a show it was. I agree it was a little surprising to add a 3rd player - Paul is a great rhythm player and of course singer who is essential to their sound. His father, Martin, owned a shoe store, and Shanks sold his first pair at 11 years old. February 27, 2021 @ I heard Warren playing slide and went, 'Oh, my God, who is that? Blackberry Smoke - Wikipedia Unfortunately, you can find that mentality almost anywhere you go in the world, but the image sometimes gets directed toward the South which I think is incorrect and unfair. February 25, 2021 @ I dont mean it that way. "We all kind of want to be a three-guitar band, way down deep in our hearts, and maybe add another drummer too. And it made me smile. I called Jimmy (Hall) and asked if hed want to do some Wet Willie tunes. Your email address will not be published. The venerable frontman/guitarist looks back on 20 years on the road and the rhinestones-meets-rock n soul formula behind their seventh studio album, You Hear Georgia. '", Being a guitar player was my focus, and I was very into that, but I started to see what writing songs could do for people. Ginger Haycox Jamey Johnson (Charlie Starr) 6. That music will live forever. to discuss how the band managed a year-plus of COVID-19 lockdown through new music, two new members, livestream performances and a series of drive-in concerts. mark Hes a great drummer. Live It Down (Charlie Starr, Dave Lizmi) 2. Blackberry Smoke Announces New Album, New Members, Country Fans Arent Unwitting Pawns (a Response to Ketch Secor & NYT), Brennen Leigh Aint Through Honky Tonkin Yet, Newest Adds to Saving Country Musics Top 25 Current Playlist (#118), Why Charley Pride Took So Long to Become a Grand Ole Opry Member. Benji said, I like playing with Justin Brogdon. Blackberry Smoke is an American rock band formed in Atlanta, Georgia in 2000. My wife likes it when I get rid of things. All Rise Again feat. like the music, but would actually like to hear the singer through the WHOLE SONG and not just part of it. January 20th 2023. Then I just kept learning about how Jimmy was really the architect of all this stuff. Shanks Initially, the goal was simply to capture some cool video footage while recording some covers live for the tour. Warren Haynes co-wrote All Rise Again and plays and sings on it. Hes a great drummer. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Timm Shanks. He had one that was very special, but it wasnt that one. Benji is doing a fine job presently with Blackbery Smoke ! Black Bettys harmonies are just golden, too! August 22, 2021 @ February 26, 2021 @ My first gig was in Rome (GA) when I was 15 with a bunch of guys that seemed really old to me, they were like juniors and seniors in high school, said Shanks. Summary. He was in The Grapes, a long-running and great Atlanta jam band. Web4,340 Followers, 1,308 Following, 458 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Benji Shanks (@shanksforeverything) Going over scales and music 101 with the students, really helped me solidify my guitar theory, said Shanks. So wed all turn to each other and grin to each other and be like, How weird is this? It was the new normal for sure, at that point. It sounds like they were doing things they weren't supposed to be doing. The set list included a steady helping of Blackberry Smoke tunes, the majority of which were penned by Starr and other members of Blackberry Smoke. Havent seen them yet but have heard theyre excellent. He knows what to play and not to play, but with three guitars, we do talk about the parts quite a bit, about staying out of each other's lane. Im very fortunate to be able to see them live in a few days in Tampa. Excellent new song! Guitar prodogy of Rome, Georgia gets recognised - Blogger 1:31 am. "Yeah. ', "And he said, 'Let's write together.' He and Warren are cut from the same cloth: very selfless, both musically and as people. Blackberry Smoke was formed in Atlanta, Georgia in 2000. Some of the add-ons on this site are powered by. Theyre joined on the album by a couple of special guests, Warren Haynes and Jamey Johnson, as well as their newest touring member, guitarist Benji Shanks. They are the first independently-released artist to hit No. 6:26 pm. This year marks the Atlanta bands 20th anniversary together. Dickey scratches a whole different itch for me from that era of the band. The way that he plays and sings, too good grief. Updated: June 20, 2015 Biography ID: 103269493 Jump to: Biography Memories I think I already knew that, but it got fully confirmed. I had the pleasure of seeing BBS last month for the fifth time in the last three/four years. Benji is a fantastic player that has killer tone with a pretty simple stage set up and a somewhat modest pedalboard. Been a huge fan since thier first album (that was oddly produced by Jessie James Dupree of Jackyl). I could watch \u0026 listen to him play for days! "But it's just a bigger, fatter tone to meeven than a humbucker. Starr: I was watching television one morning, drinking a cup of coffee, and I heard a fellow on the news being interviewed. He supported Kip Moore in the UK and again he completely stole the show. setlist I thought, 'I'm not the best singer, but I can sing a song.' Crosby tuned it when he was here recording with Jason Isbell and I left it.' WebBenji Shanks Biography It looks like we don't have any Biography for Benji Shanks yet. Hes a great player & cool rundown. Also fantastic live. "Thanks, man. I tookso many things away from that day. February 26, 2021 @ Didnt care much for their earlier stuff but this song rocks. "One of the beautiful things about the original Lynyrd Skynyrd was the way the three guitarists stayed out of each other's way, and they never really seem to be playing the same thing at the same time, which is mind-blowing. "Back on the road, we were having lunch and I asked Billy if he had ever owned a Dan Armstrong and of course he had and loved it, so I told him about the new ones and that they sounded great. February 24, 2021 @ 4:17 pm. [Laughs] I won't buy one if it's not usable. Glenn Langley Aug 2, 2022. Blackberry Smoke is back on tour this fall with a stop right near me. Were you tuned in from the start that songwriting was going to be really important? The three have done a "We were on the phone late one night just sharing our lockdown experiences and he said, 'Man, I've been writing more songs than I ever have, because there's nothing else to do,' and I said, 'Yeah, me tooand collaborating a lot with friends who are in the same position, stuck at home. So experience it live and be there in person for a 2023 Benji Shanks Rock concert. They join the Charlie and the rest of Blackberry Smoke, Richard Turner (bass, vocals), Brit Turner (drums), Paul Jackson (guitar, vocals) and Brandon Still (keyboards). "And the songs themselves are just unbeatable, but there was only one single, Tumbling Dice. WebCharlie and Benji never disappoint! Takes me back in the day. He had one that was very special, but it wasnt that one. They're made to be played. And doing them really reminded me of how much I love playing music in this band because the enjoyment really comes from playing the songs. Streaming in June: Underground Railroad, Sons of Sam and much more, Review: With pandemic restrictions eased, ASO lets the emotions ring out, Photo gallery: Taylor Swift (and her Swifties) take over Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Review: ASO and Chorus deliver powerful version of A Sea Symphony. I wondered whether people around the world were truly hearing what he was saying or just how he was saying it. Some people go to college, I joined bands [laughs]. Your email address will not be published. Benji Shanks - Biography - IMDb One of the best. Do you get rid of something as you get something or do you just keep acquiring? 1:17 pm. He recently sat down with ArtsATL to discuss how the band managed a year-plus of COVID-19 lockdown through new music, two new members, livestream performances and a series of drive-in concerts. Blackberry Smoke was the last band I saw live, the day before everything shut down here in Quebec. How Jeff Beck passed the Telecaster torch to Jimmy Page and changed the course of rock history, Watch two bassists shred-off using Tosin Abasi's selective picking technique, The Lowlist: INXS's Kick was the sound of a rock band taking on modern technology. Mike I also have a couple of Fender Esquires, a 63 and a 65, that I used on the record and they're both really magical. WebAfter all, Szlachetka whose self-made success includes high-profile shows alongside Brandi Carlile, Mike Campbell, and Blackberry Smoke's Charlie Starr and Benji Shanks; regular appearances on SiriusXM's Tom Petty Radio; and his own Ditty TV program, Vinyl Recipes, which combines his love for music, cooking, and cocktails isn't running Starr: No, I dont think so not other than planting my vegetables, which I think is pretty grown-up (chuckles). They moved to Rounder Records in 2014,[8] and released Holding All the Roses produced by Brendan O'Brien in early 2015. Blackberry Smoke has been one of the highlights of independent country and Southern rock over the last two decades, becoming the first independent outfit in the modern era to go #1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart when their album Holding All The Roses did so in 2015. Charlie Starr & Benji Shanks (Blackberry Smoke) Bring But we also definitely missed the energy of our audiences. ArtsATL: How has Blackberry Smoke been able to stay true to itself over the course of 20 years? That was awesome, thanks for posting that. 5:21 am. While there are many great legendary guitar players that preach the Southern Rock sound, there are few as good as Benji Shanks. It started with the idea of how people might have a preconceived opinion of you because of a thick Southern accent, then expanded into the reality of how some people just seem to have such a hard time getting along, thanks to political or religious views, or simply what part of the country you come from. Collaboration is a component to the new record, with a host of cool names being included in the sessions. What prompted that decision? (1-57 of 57) Year. That's the way we make records anyway; we're a band, we play together. That's completely accidental, butwe've absorbed the music of the Band, Little Feat and many others. We were so far away from the audience, which was all cars. Am I alone in wanting to hear people get rowdy in the studio and cut that sh*t live like God intended? So we never had anyone breathing down our collective neck, trying to make us fit. And, because of that, we didnt have to hear anyone telling us, You have to cut your hair or You have to play a certain kind of song, because thats whats popular. Weve always just been able to govern ourselves. He started playing percussion on the new album. ", I don't know if I could play the music I play without Zeppelin II, Revolver or At Fillmore East. 7:51 am. WebGuitar: Benji Shanks (Captain Soularcat/Last Waltz Ensemble) Mandolin: David Grisman ( Jerry Garcia, Peter Rowan) Keyboards: Chuck Leavell ( Allman Brothers Band and Rolling Stones) On May 23, 2014, Paris Luna recorded their live Album Brasstown Ball at the Famous Southern Tracks Studio in Atlanta, Ga., to a live studio audience. February 28, 2021 @ The foundation is still there. When COVID-19 hit, how did Blackberry Smoke adapt to the abrupt change from being a heavily touring band to no longer being able to tour at all? Love their studio stuff but wondering if I just caught them on an off night or are they not great live? But it definitely had its challenges because it was a new world. WebBlackberry Smoke is an American rock band formed in Atlanta, Georgia in 2000. Following Soularcat on the road in 2005, was some of the best memories of music Ive ever had, said band groupie Lonnie Robinson. It was one of those truly special things that was completely spontaneous. ArtsATL: Has that freedom shaped how you write songs? Pedals Down You guys recorded an EP last year at the newly reopened Capricorn studios, where so much great music by Marshall Tucker, the Allman Brothers Band and many others was recorded. The Last Waltz Ensemble They were both just so fantastic.". The only drawback was we had to do it long distance, because it wasnt a good time to travel. As a subscriber enjoy big savings off the shop price! ArtsATL: Blackberry Smoke also managed to record the EP Live From Capricorn Sound Studios last year, and collaborated with recent Grammy Award winner Jimmy Hall, who led the Capricorn band Wet Willie. 1 on the US Billboard Country[11] and Americana/Folk[12] charts as well as the UK Rock[13] and Independent Albums[14] charts during release week. Playing publicly since 2003, Benji Shanks has come to be known by frequently guest performing with some of the southeastern regions best bands. 3 in all of music. Thats not an uncommon situation. share setlist Let Me Down Easy (Blackberry Smoke song) Play Video; Ought to (Image credit: Jason Kempin/Getty Images), 11 guitarists who shaped Derek Trucks' sound, a 22-year-old guy playing with Wilson Pickett, Texas Flood: The Inside Story of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Big in China: My Unlikely Adventures Raising a Family, Playing the Blues and Becoming a Star in Beijing, That time Guthrie Govan covered Rage Against the Machines Bulls on Parade and took Tom Morellos solo to mind-boggling new heights, Ana Popovic: "The cancer took a lot out of me, and so did working towards getting better. Not to say there was no energy during the livestreams from the Tabernacle and Ryman Auditorium where there was no audience. Although I dont think it was a shock. Jimmy Herrings guitar tech, Eric Predo, has been a long-time friend of mine, and he helped me score the summer job with the Crowes. But at that point, we werent even able to get in the same room together. February 26, 2021 @ News WebBenji Shanks Profile: American guitarist, engineer and producer. last year, and collaborated with recent Grammy Award winner Jimmy Hall, who led the Capricorn band Wet Willie. If you were going on an extended vacation and could only take one, which guitar would you choose? He Really hope we can quit listening to all these statist hippies before long so we can see some live music this year. Lonesome for a Livin feat. Currently, Benji still lives in Atlanta with his girlfriend and is playing guitar with the Justin Brogdon band, and the Last Walts Ensemble. Well, I had the kind of grandmother books are written about. 31 Comments. . When I saw he would be doing acoustic I immediately thought it can only get better. What prompted that decision? 7:39 am. You can let us know when that is, How Alvvays harnessed the glorious, devastating power of truly dimed guitar amps, slacker tunings and Tom Verlaine on new album Blue Rev, Ozzy Osbourne names his dream supergroup and it features three guitarists, Joe Bonamassa plays AC/DCs Back in Black like youve never heard it before in this soulful rhythm n blues reimagining, Nuno Bettencourt says Prince once called him one of the top three guitar players in the world. How did you start working together now? It made sense to go to the studio, where some of the songs were originally recorded. Blackberry Smoke's Charlie Starr: "Everybody wishes they could In 2015 Blackberry Smoke became the first small independent outfit to have an album, Holding All The Roses, go to No. They even offered most of their backline to us if we preferred. He started playing percussion on the new album and Britt (Turner,