Today we’d like to introduce you to Bennett Brown.
Hi Bennett, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
This adventure began with a youthful dream of far-off lands, filled with soaring landscapes, lively taverns, and the promise of a grand story. A chance meeting on a rooftop in Austin, TX led to the embarkment on a life altering journey chasing the whims of folk music across the world, through the depths of poverty and the heights of glory. All it took was a fiddle, a guitar, a loyal friend and a stubborn curiosity. Though a time-bound expedition appears linear, the transformation that determines destination lies at the completion of the great circle. And so after nearly two decades of performing with Shane Smith and the Saints, I find myself back where I started, dreaming of adventure, dreaming through a new lense. Because I want to do it all again, but this time not for myself. I want to capture that energy and give it away, to spread love and hope to the world as best as a guy with a fiddle can. Because I understand now that it was all a gift from God, and gifts are meant to be shared.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Setting out ill-prepared on a journey doesn’t always end well, but it allows for some valuable lessons. When I endeavored to become a touring fiddler, I barely knew how to play and definitely couldn’t sing. And so.the road to the stage was long and bumpy, many nights with nowhere to sleep, nothing to eat, and no hope of improvement. But thanks to stubbornness, Shane and I kept playing music to anyone who would half-listen, and never turned down an opportunity. We quickly understood that forging relationships was the only oath forward, that developing community was essential. For guys like us, there was never going to be a get-rich-quick moment, no shortcut to skip ahead. And thank God that was our path, because it’s beautiful to look back and remember everyone who helped us along the way, and how we still share our experience with them to this day.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The world of folk music is by nature grassroots. Its spirit exists by the campfire, amongst friends, learning from each other. It’s a beautiful thing to share in someone’s heartbreak, and again in their successes, and that is what sets our world apart from other types of music and performance. We wouldn’t be able to travel the world sharing songs if that magnet wasn’t there pulling people together.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most valuable lesson I’ve learned from my experience as a touring musician is that truly it is the generosity of the community that allows an artist to be successful, not the efforts of the artist themself. I know this because we play the same songs that we played years ago, and yet instead of an empty room or dark street corner, we now have audiences that fill spaces and roar back to us as we deliver our craft. That idea is transformative in life, understanding that individual effort is futile if it doesn’t benefit the community. And also that the true success of an artist is not in the attention they receive, but in their position as a rallying point for people to come together and share in love.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.greenmanoveralls.com
- Instagram: @bennettmbrown
- Youtube: Shanesmithmusic
