I love a couple really odd ones Nick Drake utilized, that I had to be shown. [15], In 2019, the band released via Earache Records a live album and a film Homecoming: Live in Atlanta, recorded at their annual Brothers And Sisters Holiday Homecoming event at the Tabernacle in Atlanta in November 2018. At the drive-in shows, were people out there they were just way out there. How would you describe the greatness of Duane Allman and Dickey Betts? He was so well read, musically, with all of his session worka 22-year-old guy playing with Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, King Curtis and Clarence Carter. "It's a reissue Dan Armstrong Lucite guitar. I owned a vintage one in the '90s, which had a badly repaired headstock break so I sold it, but it was so cool. Debbie. Thats where the first line of the song, You hear Georgia when I open my mouth / Dont make no difference what Im talking about, came from. Benji Shanks - Biography - IMDb I had the pleasure of seeing BBS last month for the fifth time in the last three/four years. Blackberry Smoke Announces New Album, New Members, Country Fans Arent Unwitting Pawns (a Response to Ketch Secor & NYT), Brennen Leigh Aint Through Honky Tonkin Yet, Newest Adds to Saving Country Musics Top 25 Current Playlist (#118), Why Charley Pride Took So Long to Become a Grand Ole Opry Member. Benji Shanks My first gig was in Rome (GA) when I was 15 with a bunch of guys that seemed really old to me, they were like juniors and seniors in high school, said Shanks. Tell me about that. The album also racked up another nearly 1 million streams its debut week. This was good enough to put it also at No. Be the first to contribute! The Duane Allman and Dickey Betts tones on those records are just unbeatable. But the rest of the group were used to taking orders from him, so they treated Benji as the de-facto leader. We saw them in January, 2019, on the Southern Rock Cruise. I previously had tons of respect for schoolteachers and now have even more. Blackberry Smoke has much to celebrate. Thats not an uncommon situation. And always in open tuning, right? I was first introduced to @charliestarr this summer, seeing him in concert was an amazing experience. Updated: June 20, 2015 Biography ID: 103269493 Jump to: Biography Memories Our interview was cut short, because well, the music biz never stops and sound checks must go on. As a subscriber enjoy big savings off the shop price! September 11, 2021 @ Glenn Langley [3] They have performed throughout the United States, Europe, Australia, and South America. Tell me about the guitar Billy Gibbons gave you. 7:39 pm, ShadeGrown Maybe let's Charlie focus more on singing/front man duties. As Shanks plays the Atlanta music circuit and gains the attention of legendary musicians, Atlanta Benji fans cant wait to see what band he will choose next. While there are many great legendary guitar players that preach the Southern Rock sound, there are few as good as Benji Shanks. February 25, 2021 @ How did that develop? "We were on the phone late one night just sharing our lockdown experiences and he said, 'Man, I've been writing more songs than I ever have, because there's nothing else to do,' and I said, 'Yeah, me tooand collaborating a lot with friends who are in the same position, stuck at home. I'm not pretty. Coincidentally, wed been trying to come up with some ideas about promoting our summer tour, the Spirit of the South tour. Seaside I could say the same about Zeppelin II or Revolver or At Fillmore East. Best album yet. I love it dearly. But I didn't listen to him and brought tons and tons of stuff of my own because half the fun of making records is playing with your toys! ArtsATL: Has Rick Richards ever tried to get that guitar back from you? Earlier this year, Blackberry Smoke celebrated their 20th anniversary as a band with a new album, You Hear Georgia. Love this band!!! "But Dickey was playing a little more laid back at times and bringing a little more country, which developed later, with Blue Sky and Ramblin Man. Do not miss it the show I saw here recently was only $45 and well worth every cent. 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[5] On August 26, 2012, they performed at a charity benefit called the Boot Ride with the cast of Sons of Anarchy, partnered with The Boot Campaign at the Happy Ending Bar and Grill in Hollywood, California.[6][7]. I started asking myself, Where does it go from here? I dont mean it that way. Im going to be 69 this year and I still love to hear this band. Blackberry Smoke is an American rock band formed in Atlanta, Georgia in 2000. [1] Shanks was a television sports anchor at WBSG in Brunswick, Georgia and WGXA in Two years later, Benji joined his first band in high school as a freshmen. Benji is a fantastic player that has killer tone with a pretty simple stage set up and a somewhat modest pedalboard. All Credits Composer Director Fillmore East is one long guitar lesson.". Had to do it.". Starr: They were odd. Marlena Swartz Benji Graduated high school and went to school at Berry College for a year, when he got a job working at the local music store as a music teacher. He had siblings Robert Ian Shanks, Margaret Bain Shanks, Charles Alex Shanks, Donald Mckenzie Shanks, and Bruce Mckenzie Shanks. February 27, 2021 @ Was it as much fun to record as it appears to be by the smile on your face in the video? Concert number five. Their debut album, Bad Luck Ain't No Crime, was released in 2003. Sailing with the Roger Pirates since he was an infant, Shanks would begin his pirate career on their ship as an apprentice alongside Buggy, before forming his own crew following Roger's death. "Even when he comes in on Layla, it's like, 'Oh, Duane's here.' On May 28, 2021, their album You Hear Georgia was released. Their second album released in 2009, Little Piece of Dixie. Staying on the Allman Brothers Band tip, talk a little bit about Warren as a player. Donald Shanks died at age 73 years old in 1983 That music will live forever. And it made me smile. It's sort of frightening to think this guy who wrote Communication Breakdown also wrote The Rain Song, and he can convey that to these other guys in advance, and they capture it on tape. Preston came after we made, , our last album. WebKoala Man: Created by Michael Cusack, Dan Hernandez, Benji Samit. Shortly after the summer job as guitar tech for the Black Crows, Benji was invited to a gig on Nassau Island where he played with the legendary Chuck Levelle from the Rolling Stones, and Butch Trucks from the Allman Bros. band. Im a terrible schoolteacher. So wed all turn to each other and grin to each other and be like, How weird is this? It was the new normal for sure, at that point. Has that freedom shaped how you write songs? Benji (Shanks) said to me one night, That guitar hits every note of the rainbow. I think that describes it. "I've never really been adept at playing slide with only my fingers on my picking hands, which is obviously what Duane did. Cobb always works at RCA Studio A and seems to be developing a real sound in there, like he has the studio tuned in the way the guys at Stax, Motown and Sun did. Ginger Haycox There was no stress or problems. Who has stepped in here and is doing that?' February 28, 2021 @ Blackberry Smoke has much to celebrate. How Jeff Beck passed the Telecaster torch to Jimmy Page and changed the course of rock history, Watch two bassists shred-off using Tosin Abasi's selective picking technique, The Lowlist: INXS's Kick was the sound of a rock band taking on modern technology. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23WnzhkuflE, Brad Wireman 7:37 pm. Most days I didn't want to ask for too much; after all, he is Warren Haynes! Kevn Kinney, Charlie Starr & More Join The Black Crowes In Alpharetta. Ive never been blown away by a support artist more than Drake White. i like BlackBerry smoke. They're made to be played.". !Really stole the show at the Billy Gibbons Guitar Show deal, I thought. Excellent new song! 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart. In 2015 Blackberry Smoke became the first small independent outfit to have an album, Holding All The Roses, go to No. Blackberry Smokes Benji Shanks Provides Rig Rundown. He just put a lot more energy into the show than they did. I saw them probably 6 or so years ago with Drake White opening, and Drake put on a better show than they did. We try to subscribe to that idea.". How did that develop? He said, Absolutely. Of course, we also did some Allman Brothers, Marshall Tucker, as well as paid homage to Little Richard. 3:07 pm. February 25, 2021 @ Blackberry Smoke was the last band I saw live, the day before everything shut down here in Quebec. Artist. Guitar World is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Benji toured with Captain Soularcat until the end of 2006, when he got the opportunity to go out on the road with the Black Crows in the Summer of 2007. . Did you learn anything new about yourself during the intense months of COVID? Sugarlands Kristian Bush & New Band Dark Water - Forbes WebBenji Shanks Biography It looks like we don't have any Biography for Benji Shanks yet. Bill Shanks - Wikipedia They just don't make them like that anymore.". How did you start working together now? Benji is doing a fine job presently with Blackbery Smoke ! Hes a great drummer. Watching a few live clips it does seem like Benji fills the classic "utility" player position and seemingly takes more of Charlie's parts and spots than Pauls. For example I don't think I've ever seen Paul play slide or open tunings - Benji does both which are usually Charlie's domain. Biography ID: 35047599 Timm Shanks (1950 - 1999) Born June 13, 1950 Death April 6, 1999 Summary Timm Shanks was born on June 13, 1950, and died at age 48 years old on April 6, 1999. Its obviously a rough and tumble world, and theres a lot of bad people. (Durrett) Shanks on March 20, 1984 in Rockwall County, Texas. Benjis been playing with us a long time, off and on. It was for sale and I kept balking at the price and I finally said alright, I'll buy it. I was thinking about the things that are good about Southern culture the things I love, like the good stories I grew up on, the music I was taught, the love I experienced with friends and family and being comforted by their goodness. Robert Lee Kerns- National HOG ( Harley Owners Group ) Chapter Member in Columbus, GA. " Play on Benji Shanks and BlackBerry Smoke ! To me, he hands down, writes some of the most awesome material that lets me, as a rock guitar player, play both rhythm and lead, because its all such beautiful stuff.". Bath "I wrote a very traditional country song for George Jones, who passed away before he did it. Hey Delilah (Charlie Starr) 4. Aug 2, 2022. It may not display this or other websites correctly. We were so far away from the audience, which was all cars. I'm proud to know those two fellas. like the music, but would actually like to hear the singer through the WHOLE SONG and not just part of it. It all happened in one day, without planning to put it together as a project, because were not a cover band. I absolutely agree! Its an appropriate title for the Atlanta-based group, whose sound evokes their home states rich heritage, with echoes of the Allman Brothers Band and country music mixed in lots of crunchy Rolling Stones- and Tom Petty-esque rock swagger. I got a lot of quirky, different types of tunings I've learned over the years from different people and records. You have a better excuse than most of us to keep getting guitars since it's actually your job. WebBenji. Ill never pass up a chance to see these guys within a few hours drive. Currently, Benji still lives in Atlanta with his girlfriend and is playing guitar with the Justin Brogdon band, and the Last Walts Ensemble. SZLACHETKA Nashville Tickets, The Underdog Jun 20, 2023 When I saw he would be doing acoustic I immediately thought it can only get better. Starr: No. We all love those because of Keith Richards and Joe Perry. JavaScript is disabled. Hes been associated with Guitar World for 30 years, serving as Managing Editor from 1991-96. He started playing percussion on the new album and Britt (Turner, "A little of both. Met him last month and he gave me a stage tour, free tickets and backstage passes. So having him join us was sort of inevitable. April 8, 2021 @ And that's what we did. If the other guys have some tunes, they should play them. I think every guitar player has that one guitar that is the one.. WebAverage setlist for tour: Acoustic Shows featuring Benji Shanks. ", I don't know if I could play the music I play without Zeppelin II, Revolver or At Fillmore East. I agree it was a little surprising to add a 3rd player - Paul is a great rhythm player and of course singer who is essential to their sound. Only three songs during the entire set didnt have a P90 guitar being played by one of them and often it was two of them. Im so proud of him. Not to say there was no energy during the livestreams from the Tabernacle and Ryman Auditorium where there was no audience. The Gear Page is the leading online community and marketplace for guitars, amps, pedals, effects and associated gear. Album. WebRecorded at The Buckhead Theatre 1-5-18 Blackberry Smoke on iTunes: http://smarturl.it/BBSiTunesOfficial Website: I dont believe everyone around the world hates the South. Learn all about Benji Shanks on AllMusic. That was the same tour I was talking about. When you have that freedom, it comes pretty easy. Without a doubt. [Laughs]. February 26, 2021 @ Warren Haynes (Charlie Starr, Warren Haynes) 7. mark With pandemic restrictions easing, Blackberry Smoke begins a robust summer tour this weekend that will bring it to Ameris Bank Amphitheatre in Alpharetta on August 21. Even though there were four extremely important parts in the band, it was mostly his vision, being that he produced all the records. It was one of the remaining opportunities to see Starr and Shanks before they hit the road along with the rest of Blackberry Smoke as they head out on a U.S./Canada tour starting in mid-June that will carry them all the way to late October this year. Do you get rid of something as you get something or do you just keep acquiring? The three have done a Then theres other parts of the song which are addressing the discourse in the world right now and some of the lyrics, like, We used to go toe to toe, but my heart aint in no mo, refer to the fact Im so tired of fighting. Thats where the first line of the song, I dont believe everyone around the world hates the South. I know what I'll be doing that night. BBS Rock! Warren Haynes co-wrote All Rise Again and plays and sings on it. Kip Zartman How does that change things? Mickey The only drawback was we had to do it long distance, because it wasnt a good time to travel. It may lack some certain frequency that you'll hear when you play a vintage Gibson humbucker guitar, but it more than makes up for it. He supported Kip Moore in the UK and again he completely stole the show. The whole band sounds great! "Back on the road, we were having lunch and I asked Billy if he had ever owned a Dan Armstrong and of course he had and loved it, so I told him about the new ones and that they sounded great. "I remember walking into the control room and listening to a playback and being blown away that it sounded as good as it did. Surprised to see a Brown Fender behind his amps stage covering. I was thinking about the things that are good about Southern culture the things I love, like the good stories I grew up on, the music I was taught, the love I experienced with friends and family and being comforted by their goodness. Whats your take on putting everything fricking thing on the rack? The band had their first chart success with their third album, The Whippoorwill, which was released in August 2012 and reached Top 40 on Billboard 200. Is the Stones' Exile on Main St. still your favorite album? Joining the band now both in the studio and on the road is well-known Atlanta percussionist Preston Holcomb, as well as guitarist Benji Shanks who has worked with The Black Crowes and others in the past. After college, Shanks left Rome for the Atlanta Institute of Music, where he finished his associates degree in guitar theory. Theyre joined on the album by a couple of special guests, Warren Haynes and Jamey Johnson, as well as their newest touring member, guitarist Benji Shanks. one problem with the songwriting, and, the band in general, tunes are indistinguishable, and its really charley starr with backing band. and maybe let the other guy play a solo once in a while. And she was quick to chastise me or any others for doing such. Track List: 1. With their own careers to keep up with as well, you may not see them out on the road. I could watch \u0026 listen to him play for days! and Drummer/ Percussionist. '", Being a guitar player was my focus, and I was very into that, but I started to see what writing songs could do for people. , which is out today. Ben Sproles Somethin hit me deep down in my soul, Jeremy Charlie Starr and Benji Shanks - Aint Wasting Time No More In 2007, Shanks played with several Atlanta bands like Tishamingo, Outformation, and The Last Walts Ensemble, making ends meet by playing with as many musicians as time would allow 7 days a week. And if there was ever a song that was tailor-made for COVID, its that one cause we all gotta keep on smilin for sure. Fans of both Starr and Shanks bought every table, standing space, and crevice available for the four shows, and the Biscuit provided an intimate venue to see the all-acoustic set by the two talented Southern rockers. Years ago, we recorded Yesterday's Wine, the old Willie Nelson song, with Jamey and [country music legend] George Jones, which I'll cherish forever. You Hear Georgia is now available for pre-order. "I asked Warren if he would please play on it, and he said absolutely and that he wanted to sing on it, too. With Michael Cusack, Sarah Snook, Demi Lardner, Hugh Jackman. "Warren taught me about the Stephen Stills tuning that he used, a low C tuning that I used on a new song. Billy is the best. The name of the band was called Spit Shine, a small punk rock band out of Rome high school. His father, Martin, owned a shoe store, and Shanks sold his first pair at 11 years old. Really hope we can quit listening to all these statist hippies before long so we can see some live music this year. He knows what to play and not to play, but with three guitars, we do talk about the parts quite a bit, about staying out of each other's lane. Mr. Shanks grew up in Lebanon, Ind., and attended Indiana University in Bloomington, where he sometimes called basketball games on the campus radio station, WFIU. February 25, 2021 @ Do you find the single pickup limiting? ArtsATL: You were once quoted as saying, I cant be grown up on the road. Do you think you did any growing up being off the road? It all happened in one day, without planning to put it together as a project, because were not a cover band. Jump to: Biography Memories Family Tree Followers Timm WebAfter all, Szlachetka whose self-made success includes high-profile shows alongside Brandi Carlile, Mike Campbell, and Blackberry Smoke's Charlie Starr and Benji Shanks; regular appearances on SiriusXM's Tom Petty Radio; and his own Ditty TV program, Vinyl Recipes, which combines his love for music, cooking, and cocktails isn't running You also sing a song with Jamey Johnson, who sounds incredible, like a redwood singing. Jerry Shanks was married to Billie J. What prompted that decision? A lot of times songs will just plop out, fully formedand that's a good example.". It sounds like they were doing things they weren't supposed to be doing. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, WebGuitar: Benji Shanks (Captain Soularcat/Last Waltz Ensemble) Mandolin: David Grisman ( Jerry Garcia, Peter Rowan) Keyboards: Chuck Leavell ( Allman Brothers Band and Rolling Stones) On May 23, 2014, Paris Luna recorded their live Album Brasstown Ball at the Famous Southern Tracks Studio in Atlanta, Ga., to a live studio audience. FELKER'S GHOST I sat down recently with the one and only Benji Shanks, who is currently on tour with Blackberry Smoke as a guest guitarist. 8:06 am. [9] The album reached No. "I love them and always have. So, its just a very personal thing as to whichever guitar speaks to you. 7:51 am. Shanks Q&A: Charlie Starr and Blackberry Smoke roar out of the Did you see Charlie play lead on Jesses song here? "I was in high school when Seven Turns, his first album with the band, came out [in 1990] and I heard Good Clean Fun on the radio. ArtsATL: Has that freedom shaped how you write songs? Lonesome for a Livin feat. Benji Shanks Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More When we were done, everybody started thinking it might be something people want to have. I suspect theyre playing to a click, and its holding them back. Hes a sweetener, who adds so much to what is already there. 3:38 pm. I think they were the loudest trio I've ever seen, and he might be the best singing guitar player I've ever seen. Enjoy. WebBenji Shanks has become one of the top Rock artists in the 2023 music scene, delighting fans with a unique Rock sound. Benji Shanks is long time buddy of mine. 9:39 am. Blackberry Smoke has a new album it recorded during the pandemic and is about to begin its first tour since COVID-19 hit. Hes a great drummer. Other than that, I think just tremolo and reverb from that amp. Tom Waits said, 'You eventually secrete what you have absorbed.' Australia. Black Bettys harmonies are just golden, too! They join the Charlie and the rest of Blackberry Smoke, Richard Turner (bass, vocals), Brit Turner (drums), Paul Jackson (guitar, vocals) and Brandon Still (keyboards). Benji is one of the most modest, amazing guitar players I have ever had the opportunity to meet. 4:47 am. The studio was great, of course, and the vibe in the room is just magical. When you have that freedom, it comes pretty easy. Hes a sweetener, who adds so much to what is already there. On November 12, 2014, they appeared among many others Jamey Johnson, Trace Adkins, Warren Haynes, Peter Frampton, Gregg Allman, etc. [16] In 2021 the band released its seventh studio album, You Hear Georgia.[17]. I thought, 'I'm not the best singer, but I can sing a song.' I don't know about my most important influence. But his solo on Not My Cross to Bear or You Dont Love Me is not laid back at all. How is this living in this man's brain? Being a guitar player was my focus, and I was very into that, but I started to see what writing songs could do for people. A couple of years ago, we were hanging out with Jamey after doing a show together and he said hed love to record together again. ArtsATL: If you were going on an extended vacation and could only take one, which guitar would you choose? And if there was ever a song that was tailor-made for COVID, its that one cause we all gotta keep on smilin for sure. After we went into the control room and heard it, we all said, Wow, this actually sounds great!. At what point did you realize this had legs, that it was different from other bands youd been in? Mike Benji Shanks | Credits | AllMusic Keep Southern Country Rock going on forever ! The two have played together outside of Blackberry Smoke before, several times in years past, so seeing both musicians smiling and genuinely having a good time was a welcome site to those who have missed live, in-person shows over the past year. 1:31 am. They included everybody in our band, and [folk duo] Shovels & Rope every night, and it was just selfless. Credits. Most days you can find in the studio and on tour with Kristian Bush.