Ben Kweller

The schizophrenia of music that hit Ben Kweller’s ears at an early age in Texas created the rainbow that critics have admired since his first album. He’s been called everything from balladeer to punk rocker, anti-folker to indie-popper. He’s released five solo albums and appeared on a number of collaborations with high profile musicians and producers.  His ability to weave together opposites that coexist happily on the same album is something few can do. His music resonates with the pulse and urgency of the east coast as well as with the honesty and authenticity of a group of southern boys playing guitar and singing songs on someone’s back porch.  His impressive and varied list of collaborators and producers is hard to find in a singer/songwriter today.  Ben says, “I’ve been lucky. I’ve worked with some of the greatest producers and learned from them all.”  He also has produced some of his own albums, starting with 2009’s critically acclaimed “Changing Horses”, which brought him back to his Texas roots.  “I’ve gone through a lot of changes in the past few years. Re-prioritized, found the important things in life.” After living for nearly a decade in New York Ben and his wife Lizzy started to crave open spaces so they relocated to Austin, Texas. “I was growing tired of writing songs in my apartment. I used to write outside all the time. I missed that.”

Ben’s musical prowess extends beyond the confines of any one genre or even instrument.  Kweller's fifth studio album, entitled Go Fly a Kite, was his first release produced solely by his own record label, The Noise Company and earned the title of “Best Rock/Hard Rock Album” at the 2013 Independent Music Awards. Ben also recently starred in the 2014 Sundance Film Festival hit, Rudderless, with William H. Macy.  Although Ben can wear many creative hats, music is his first love: “I’ve always been at ease in recording studios,” Kweller says. “They’re magic places I can escape to, where everyday confines don’t exist. That’s why art is so important, there are no rules.”