We recently connected with Benjamin Luckhaupt and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Benjamin, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.
My brothers and I , who make up 3/4th of the bluegrass band My Brother’s Keeper, were raised in a household where creative expression through music and lyrics was encouraged. All of us were required to take 5 years of piano and encouraged to explore other instruments. I also remember being around a lot of live bluegrass and other concerts as kids, and even taking poetry classes. I thank our parents Eric and Anita for pushing and encouraging us to pursue musical endeavors.
Benjamin, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My Brother’s Keeper is a progressive bluegrass band from Cincinnati OH that draws inspiration from rock, gospel, bluegrass and everything in between.
My Brother’s Keeper consists of brothers Benjamin, Titus, and Joshua Luckhaupt on guitar, mandolin, and fiddle respectively. Wyatt “Sawmill” Murray completes this ensemble on the upright bass. MBK features four part family harmonies, soulful lead vocals, thoughtful original music, and an energetic live show that appeals to fans of any genre
We started playing music as family at a young age and in 2011 we decided to pursue it further, and we began touring, recording and writing original music.
I am proud that My Brother’s Keeper has built a national audience, played at a lot of the top venues and festivals, all while staying true to our goal of writing and performing original music with a positive message.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
I think that people need to normalize supporting artists and creatives more at a local level. Many people will spend time to go hear cover bands playing but won’t leave their house for musicians making original music, or spend their money on artists making beautiful art. I don’t know the reason behind this, but I hope that society can find a way to support creatives who haven’t “made it big” , because there are extremely talented, dedicated and creative individuals in every city.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
The goal of my creative journey has always been to be true to my story, musically and lyrically. I love to make music, and I make the music that I love. I write the lyrics that mean something to me. I write about Jesus, family, society, humor, and whatever comes into my head and heart. I vowed that I would never stop playing what I love and what fulfills me artistically, and that has driven my creative journey. I would advise every one to be very true to themselves, and others will see the joy through that. Faking it has never served anyone well in the long run.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mybrotherskeeperband.com
- Instagram: @MBKbluegrass
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mybrotherskeeperbluegrass/
- Twitter: @MBKbluegrass
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MyBrothersKeeperBluegrass