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Benjamin Winter

Benjamin Winter Radio

General Info

  • Genre: Americana / Folk Rock / Indie

    Location SAN FRANCISCO/AMSTERDAM, California, Un

    Profile Views: 101926

    Last Login: 8/23/2011

    Member Since 1/24/2006

    Website www.benjaminwinter.com

    Record Label Munich Records - Benelux

    Type of Label Indie

  • Bio

    Songwriting was an unexpected calling for someone who found himself strictly on a field or court his whole life. Bred an athlete & standing a sturdy 6’5, he never appeared the Singer Songwriter part. His mother tried every year to get him to take piano lessons, but Benjamin preferred his dirty, bloody knees. His musicianship first revealed itself in high school though when he learned his first piano from football friends who were quickly frustrated that Benjamin could just "make something up" and they could only play what was written down. "I thought I was supposed to catch footballs for a living. It's what I was best at, but fate had a different plan. Should have known. I like the saying, 'If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans". In cliche form, freshman year of college a buddy put a guitar in Benjamin's hands and he didn't put it down much after that except to catch footballs. Injuries in 1999 ended that road and Benjamin found himself having to figure out who he was now. Soon after, the answer became quite clear as songs started showing up in his head uninvited. Now as a solo artist Benjamin calls his band The Make Believe as it seems to take a different manifestation every tour with an international rotating cast of cellos, guitars, keys, drums, bass, trumpets and vocalists. -The latest release from Benjamin Winter and The Make Believe, full-length The Wind Blows Way Up High catches us off guard. We don’t quite know which box to stick it in, so we listen again until we are singing along; One of the reasons Benjamin has been invited to open for acts ranging from Arcade Fire to Donovan Frankenreiter & many styles in between. "The songs tend to come when the rain does. I am happiest when it rains, which may sound strange, but I also know a lot of you know what i am talking about. The rain cleanses. Struggles make sense, and I hear music.” So here is where we find the spirit of Benjamin’s songs. The bitter sweetness, the silver lining, the joy in sorrow, the refinement we need to realize our human condition and live it well together. It may sound heavy, but Benjamin Winter somehow approaches these topics with a signature light heartedness and humor as well as with piercing gravity. You end up either with goose bumps or singing along to a happy upbeat song. Then you realize the happy song is about dying. Benjamin- “There are way too many words to use here to describe what my songs are about, and that’s why I make songs about it. In a nutshell, I would say I write about the human condition and our interactions. But descriptions are worthless. It makes you feel good or it doesn’t.”

  • Members

    Benjamin Winter - Vocals/Guitars/Keys.. Jonas Pap - Cello (NL).. Herman Ypma - Drums (NL).. Joeri Pronk - Bass (NL).. Justin Silva - Drums/Keys (USA).. Steve Laciak - Bass/Keys (USA).. Lydia van Maurik-Wever - Keys/Vocals (NL).. Jeroen Ligter - morale leader.. .. Management:.. North America - Mason Street Productions - peter@masonstreetproductions.com.. Europe - RnR Agency - Ravinia Thwaites - benjaminwinter@rnrlive.com.. .. European Booking: De Harmonie - Ilana Goldstoff.. ilana@deharmonieboekingen.nl

  • Influences

    waking up, slowing down, stepping back, looking forward

  • Sounds Like

Members

Benjamin Winter - Vocals/Guitars/Keys, Jonas Pap - Cello (NL), Herman Ypma - Drums (NL), Joeri Pronk - Bass (NL), Justin Silva - Drums/Keys (USA), Steve Laciak - Bass/Keys (USA), Lydia van Maurik-Wever - Keys/Vocals (NL), Jeroen Ligter - Morale Leader, Management:, North America - Mason Street Productions - peter@masonstreetproductions.com,, Europe - RnR Agency - Ravinia Thwaites - benjaminwinter@rnrlive.com, Booking: De Harmonie - Ilana Goldstoff, ilana@deharmonieboekingen.nl,

Bio

The latest release from Benjamin Winter and The Make Believe, full-length The Wind Blows Way Up High catches us off guard. We don’t quite know which box to stick it in, so we listen again until we are singing along; One of the reasons Benjamin has been invited to open for acts ranging from Arcade Fire to Donovan Frankenreiter & many styles in between. "The songs tend to come when the rain does. I am happiest when it rains, which may sound strange, but I also know a lot of you know what i am talking about. The rain cleanses. Struggles make sense, and I hear music.” So here is where we find the spirit of Benjamin Winter's songs. The bitter sweetness, the silver lining, the joy in sorrow, the refinement we need to realize our human condition and live it well together. It may sound heavy, but Benjamin Winter somehow approaches these topics with a signature light heartedness and humor as well as with piercing gravity. You end up either with goose bumps or singing along to a happy upbeat song. Then you realize the happy song is about dying. Songwriting was an unexpected calling for someone who found himself only on a sports field from age 5-23. Bred an athlete & standing a sturdy 6’5, he never appeared the Singer Songwriter part. His mother tried every year to get him to take piano lessons, but Benjamin preferred his dirty, bloody knees. His musicianship first revealed itself in high school though when he learned his first piano from football friends who were quickly frustrated that Benjamin could just "make something up" and they could only play what was written down. "I thought I was supposed to catch footballs for a living. It's what I was best at, but fate had a different plan. Should have known. I like the saying, 'If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans". In cliche form, freshman year of college a buddy put a guitar in Benjamin's hands and he didn't put it down much after that except to catch footballs. Injuries in 1999 ended that road and Benjamin found himself having to figure out who he was now. Soon after, the answer became quite clear as songs started showing up in his head uninvited. Now as a solo artist Benjamin calls his band The Make Believe as it seems to take a different manifestation every tour with an international rotating cast of cellos, guitars, keys, drums, bass, trumpets and vocalists. On an average freezing December morning in Holland, Benjamin Winter and 4 members of The Make Believe unloaded gear & hunkered down into a studio in a small village near Amsterdam. Wood and coffee were the dominating smells and the warmth of the room manifested in the sounds. Surrounded by Benjamin’s box of songs, an intoxicating room full of acoustic instruments & many talented friends who meandered in and out to lay down a track, their latest offering “The Wind Blows Way Up High” took form. "We enjoyed a freedom and calmness in this record I have never had before". Benjamin says. That spirit comes through in their purest, most mature, and strongest release to date as Benjamin does again what he does best by delving into social commentary and the human condition; but this time, in a more playful and folky setting than past releases which took on a more indie rock, thought still heavily acoustic sound. “I am an indie rock guy but the son of a country boy. The older I get, the more my Americana roots are finding their way back & merging with my own musical journey to form our own sound.” Previous releases were a 4 track EP in 2007, with songs featured on national NL TV and radio play in both US and NL main stations. Benjamin’s solo debut, full-length Amber Alley And After in 2005 was produced by American star performer & engineer Greg Laswell. “This first album was my heart and soul and I was very encouraged to see it resonate with people and set a good foundation. I am building a house. So then we made a frame. and day by day is brick by brick. Some of those bricks are songs, some words, some are deeds. It’s slow, but I want to die in a cathedral.” Benjamin's live reputation continues spread through heartfelt devotion to his listeners and a healthy tour history which includes support for Arcade Fire, Donovan Frankenreiter, Angus and Julia Stone.

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