Today we’d like to introduce you to Ben Weiss of Pixie and the Partygrass Boys.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Well, our story is kinda fun. We all had been professional musicians for several years. Ben, Andrew, and Zach all played in various jazz bands and corporate cover bands, Pixie and Amanda had both worked with touring bands. By the time we all met we were kinda jaded and just wanted to play in a fun band with our friends. We all knew the same covers, so we hit the ground running on the local scene.
We slowly increased our bag of original music, recorded a couple of albums, and before long we would see strangers in the audience singing along to our songs. We got our first festival gig and decided to hit the road. We’ve been touring ever since (minus the 2020 and 2021 years, they don’t count) and trying to spread the gospel of Partygrass as much as we can!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
This lifestyle is not without its challenges. Maintaining physical and mental health on the road after spending long hours in the car, and sometimes only having access to less-than-healthy food options is difficult. Being away from our loved ones for days on end tugs at the heart, and being surrounded by people who are partying all the time provides its own challenge. It’s like a river of good times, you can get washed away or even drown if you’re not careful.
In retrospect, things have been pretty smooth and easy, within the context of how hard it is. There’s no easy way to be a touring band. There’s no way to skip the long hours of the road, the emotional whiplash of having meaningful experiences night after night, only to get back in the van and immediately go on to the next thing, and the distance between us and those we hold near to our hearts. There’s certainly more comfort on the horizon but right now we’re on the grind, and it can be rough. The smoothness of it comes from how much we love each other as bandmates.
We get along really well and are constantly filling the mundane moments with silly nonsense, writing songs, or peacefully ignoring each other (which is how you give someone space when there is no space). When times get rough we always have each other, and we’re a happy little family in that way, for which we are incredibly lucky. We’ve learned that not all bands like each other.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
I think happiness boils down to peace, love, joy, and purpose. Peace for who and where you are, a sense of purpose to keep you going, and sharing your gifts with the world. Finding joy in the little moments and larger happenings, and sharing love with the people around you. We all find happiness in our ways.
Pixie likes to watch her poppies bloom. Amanda roams the mountains all year round with her husband. Ben does tai chi. Andrew fixes up his van and roams the country with his girlfriend. Zach seems to exude happiness like a golden retriever puppy. We all love to play music and share our stories with the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.pixieandthepartygrassboys.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/partygrassmusic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/partygrass
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpW7pRTw6aA_jZHFXEiLLew/videos
