We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Rene Benton. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Rene below.
Rene, appreciate you joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
Finding your footing so to speak is the most important thing. My primary desire was to be a working/touring musician NOT a recording artist . That ( recording artist part) came organically. As I stating finding your footing meaning as a singer or musician do you find satisfaction in NOT being the main attraction or, do feel you MUST be the main attraction? That is the first step . From the beginning I had to have a grip on multiple genres. That being said ; it comes down to do you want to play in a lot of genres or just one.? I chose at least having somewhat of a feel for mainstream genres of music. After all of that I made myself available through various networks of people at let it roll from there.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I have toured to 42 states and over 70 countries with known and lesser known artist . Some of this includes me doing my own touring in a much more limited capacity. Treat other artist material as if it is your own . Respect it. I first started getting calls from various bands by registering with to organizations. PMR ( professional musician referral ) and MCS ( musicians contact service). Bands look for players through them. I put time into the material instead of just assuming how a song goes . People that hire me notice that so, I get a lot of calls to return with various bands. The pride for me comes from sticking with it when it feels as if it is all ending just to find out a new journey is starting. If people want to know a little bit more about my musical journey go to renebenton.net
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I was in the Marines which normally musicians do not go. I did not realize I was a musician at the time but, I viewed myself as a guy that just played guitar. Prior to going in I played guitar pretty much everyday from age 6-17 ( which is the age I went in ) So, there were three months I was not able to play the guitar. I came back home and, one of my friends whom I let borrow the guitar let someone else borrow it and, needless to say I came back home to no guitar!! And before anyone says ” Get another one” military people don;t make much money and , budget brand guitars at the time were unplayable. It took three years more before I could get another guitar. How did I play that whole time without a guitar you ask?? I would drive to music store almost an hour away or, go to a pawn shop. I could not do this everyday so , I fought hard to keep up my guitar skills while in the Marines. I challenge anyone to go that long without being to play a guitar. I knew that no matter what I was not going to stop!!
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
Being able to add something noteworthy to some else’s musical vision
Contact Info:
- Website: https://renebenton.net/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rene_benton/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/renebentonmusic/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rene-benton-
- Twitter: https://x.com/ReneBentonguit
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@renebenton77
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/rene-benton
Image Credits
Action photo 1 ( Shay Smith)