We recently connected with Ben Shaw and have shared our conversation below.
Ben, appreciate you joining us today. The first dollar you earn is always exciting – it’s like the start of a new chapter and so we’d love to hear about the first time you sold or generated revenue from your creative work?
In my first year of college at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire a friend who heard my songs convinced me to play an open mic at The Cabin, a coffee house venue in the student union. I played a couple of my own songs and he sat in with me as my security blanket. Afterwards the booker asked me if I was free to do a full show of 2 sets the following Friday and they would pay me 50 bucks. I said yes immediately, neglecting to mention I did not have enough originals written at that point for 2 hours of music. I learned a couple covers to fill out the gap. I was so nervous with my stomach in knots the week leading up to the event that I could barely eat. The show went great and I packed that wonderful venue dozens of times until I graduated.
Ben, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am a singer-songwriter. I was blessed with a great singing voice and instinctively knew how to sing from a very early age. I began music lessons with the piano, then the trumpet. I started playing guitar as a teenager and always wanted to write songs. Before I played guitar I would write song lyrics in my school notebooks. I was always drawn to the lyrics and melodies of songs and how those two forms of poetry converged. It always made sense to me that I would write songs to be performed.
I have always been able to convey emotions through melodies and words. I can sing at a barroom blast or a delicate whisper. Whatever the lyrics call for, my voice conveys the emotional sentiment.
Every time I perform I give every ounce of myself so that nothing is left on the table. I tend to lean towards songs about transcendence, healing, and thriving through the rough, even brutal, patches of life. I strive to not just touch the listeners ear, but their heart, as well. There are songs that others have writen that move me to tears, goosebumps, and profound introspection. This is what I try to give the audience
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
My hope is to affect the listener in a way that inspires them to change or be a part of the greater good or survive a rough period in their life. The greatest compliment I ever was given was not an “atta boy” or “great show.” It was when a friend told me he gave my album to his friend and she told him she was considering suicide. But my record carried her through that dark period to the other end where she chose to live instead of taking her own life.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
To be able to be in the moment, that special place where the universe uses me as a messenger to the listener. To see and feel the reception they are receiving from my art is undefinable.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thebenshaw.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebenshawmusic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebenshawmusic/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-shaw-58790911/
- Twitter: https://x.com/thebenshawmusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebenshawmusic/
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebenshawmusic
Image Credits
Photo credits: Dennis Browne and Gerald Emerick.