If you had asked me four months ago who Ben Rector was, I would have said he was some guy that sang one song I had on my phone. Now, he is one of my favorite musicians. I listen to his songs almost everyday, and I recently saw him on tour in Nashville. It took very little time for me to fall in love with Ben's music and to realize that he was different from most of the artists played on the radio. Here are just some of the reasons why Ben Rector is just that awesome:
1. He's an all-around great musician.
Ben is an incredible vocalist and sounds even better live than he does on his albums. He plays both the piano and guitar beautifully and even rocked the cowbell at his show in Nashville.
2. His music is relaxing.
Ben's music is very easy to listen to. It can lift your mood and help distract you from stress. It's perfect for when you need to think on a long drive or when you're trying to knock out a ten page paper the day before it's due.
3. His music is clean.
Ben realizes that you don't have to curse every few words in order to write a good song. He just writes about life and love and what he's going through. His music is the kind you would feel comfortable listening to when your grandma is in the car.
4. His songs are great for weddings and wedding videos.
My first encounter with Ben Rector's music was when I heard his song "Beautiful" during a friend's engagement video, and it was a perfect fit. After I fully discovered Ben, I fell in love with his love songs. The first time I heard the acoustic version of Ben's song "Forever Like That" I immediately teared up. I knew I wanted to dance to that song at my wedding. His songs make those of us who are waiting excited about finding love and give those who have found it an outlet to express how they feel. They are a perfect backdrop for wedding videos and an excellent addition to any wedding reception playlist.
5. He does amazing covers.
Ben's cover of "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" is one of my favorite songs of all time and has over two million views on YouTube. He also does a great cover of Tom Petty's "Free Fallin'" and even did a mashup of his song "Loving You is Easy" with Jackson 5's "ABC" at his show in Nashville. He brings a new perspective and fresh spin to these classic songs that makes listeners fall in love with them all over again.
6. He has fun performing.
I couldn't stop smiling during Ben's concert, because he hardly ever stopped smiling. He had so much fun putting on a show for the town he now calls home. He wasn't afraid to act goofy or break out into the Cha Cha Slide in the middle of a song. It's so fun watching and listening to someone perform when they enjoy doing it.
7. He is relatable.
At the beginning of his song "Crazy," Ben says, "You ever get tired of turning on the radio and asking yourself 'Who lives that kind of life? 'Cause I don't.' I need an anthem. I need a song that I can sing. So, raise your glass if your life is crazy...Crazy normal." Ben doesn't pretend that he's different from everyone else just because he's famous. He watches Netflix. He plays golf. And he loves Snapchat filters.
8. He loves his fans.
Rather than spend his music video budget to create something elaborate, Ben flew six of his fans out to Six Flags and used footage from the trip. Who doesn't love an artist that truly appreciates their fans?
9. He is humble.
Ben isn't entitled and doesn't expect praise or glory like other celebrities. He is thankful for the opportunity he has and is still surprised by the number of people that come to see him perform. He admitted at his show in Nashville that he didn't want to play a large venue, because he didn't think it would fill up. He thought he had made it big when 300 people came to see him perform, but 5,000 fans filled the seats at his Nashville concert. He ended the show with his song "The Men That Drive Me Places." In this song, he recognizes how blessed he is to make a living doing what he loves, and it shows how truly humble he is.
So, thank you, Ben. Thank you for giving the world family-friendly music that relaxes us. Thank you for giving us joy with the huge smile on your face. Thank you for giving credit where credit is due. Keep singing, and keep being awesome, because the world needs more people like you.
