I’ve been to Nashville a handful of times over the years. Last week though, I got the opportunity to hang out in Nashville at Banjo Ben‘s Nashville Experience.
“Banjo” Ben Clark is a talented musician from Kilgore, TX who has played professionally for several years with acts like Craig Morgan, Josh Gracin in his early days in Nashville. In 2007 though, Ben was called on to help an up and coming young artist who was just getting started skyrocket to fame you may have heard of named Taylor Swift. They set out on tour that year with the king of country, George Strait and country music legend Ronnie Millsap. The rest as they say is history, but according to Ben, after a few years of playing 300+ nights on the road, he was burned out. He left the arena sized crowds to begin doing what Ben seems to really have a passion for and that’s teaching others to play banjo, guitar, and mandolin through online courses.
As his youtube channel and online business began to grow, Ben stared doing what he calls “Cabin Camps”. Here, musicians from beginner to advanced, come from all over to hone their skills as musicians. At these camps, he along with his equally talented sisters of a popular Gospel Bluegrass group called “The Purple Hulls“, Katy Lou Clark and Penny Lea Clark Gimble teach in-depth music lessons.
Last week was a little different though. I believe this was the first “Nashville Experience” Cabin Camp. This time, the goal wasn’t so much instrument focused about learning how to become a better musician, but rather, what it’s like on the inside of the Nashville music industry. Everyone got to experience the music industry in a much deeper way than just a normal sight seeing trip to Nashville.
After a quick lunch at Hattie B’s Hot Chicken, We started off on music row by going to Sony Music Publishing’s Studio A where we got an inside look at how songs are cut and produced. Here I knew it was going to be good when we didn’t go in through the front door lobby. Entering through the artist’s entrance would be a theme for the two day event.
Then we moved down the road to Gruhn Guitars where we met with George Gruhn. George is the largest Martin guitar dealer and THE expert aficionado on all things guitars. Here, once again, we may have entered the front door, but we were quickly taken up to the second floor which is not open to the general walking public. Never before have I seen or heard a $300,000 guitar before or an equally valuable and rare mandolin. Watching a group of young musicians get to play them and play them well was amazing and a testament to the things that they have learned from Banjo Ben’s online guitar lessons and lessons at other banjo camps. Sitting there listening to them play amongst thousands of rare and valuable instruments is cool. Casualy Looking over during a conversation at an unassuming guitar sitting there in an open case and seeing the luggage tag on it that says “E. Scruggs” was interesting, to say the least. And yes that is the Earl Scruggs as verified by a certificate of authenticity from George and it can be yours. It’s on sale currently on the Gruhn Guitars website for $100,000.
Later we went to dinner at Ole Red downtown before heading to Springer Mountain Farms bluegrass nights at the Ryman where we went backstage to visit with Rhonda Vincent before the show. Something tells me it wasn’t just chance that we met her in the alley between the Ryman and Tootsies. However, that happened, It was a welcome surprise and a cool chance to meet the artist. Once again, entering the Ryman from the back alley instead of the main public entrance proved this wasn’t your ordinary family vacation trip to Nashville. The show itself was one of the only things we did that the average Nashville visitor could participate in.
The following day, we met up at Storytellers in Bon Aqua, TN. This seems like an unassuming building but it is a historic general store building where Johnny Cash and others performed years ago. More on that later.
There we of course got to hear Ben and The Purple Hulls perform and hear Ben’s full story. We also got to hear from people like Radio legend Kyle Cantrell as his career has moved from Broadcasting on WSM, to Satellite radio and his latest endeavor to start BanjoRadio.com Later we heard two time IBMA Guitar player of the year Kenny Smith and his wife Amanda play and share their story.
I don’t know if it was intentional or not but one thing that I loved and that stuck out in all of the stories that were told is how pieces of the Gospel couldn’t help but be woven into their stories. How God’s sovereign and providential will moved these people all from humble beginnings to where they are in their careers and lives today and where they are headed in the future. It was a testament to not just the work of God in their lives but character building and the quality of character found in pretty much all of the people working with Ben.
I mentioned before that Johnny Cash was involved in the history of the building now know as the “Storytellers”. Well, there is a little more to that story. Right down the road from Storytellers, a hand hewn log cabin sits on a 100 acer farm that Johnny once owned. The property is now known as Hideaway Farm. It got it’s name because this is the place Johnny and June chose to hideaway from their life of fame. The home is still filled with many of Johnny’s things almost as he left it including the “one piece at a time car”.
Obviously I’ve left out tons of details here but, if you are a budding musician or if you just picked up a guitar, mandolin, or Banjo, Banjo Ben is the guy you need to get in contact with. I’m not a musician myself. I can play the radio but sometimes it has a little static in it. But I think you’ll be hard pressed to find a more qualified expert than Banjo Ben Clark and his team. If you ever get the chance to go to one of his Cabin Camps, I think you should jump on the opportunity.
You can find Ben online at www.banjobenclark.com. There, you’ll find all of his latest lessons, how to subscribe as well as upcoming events. Or Like, Follow and subscribe on all the major social media channels. There is a lot of crazy stuff on there sure to keep you laughing as well as the latest tutorials and some great music.
