Bob Bennett

Who I'd like to meet:

Presumably Still Here on Earth: Billy Graham (no-scandal evangelist) / Anne Lamott (author of "Traveling Mercies") / Jimmy Webb (songwriter extraordinaire) / Joni Mitchell (cranky but brilliant artist) / Mason Williams (the Renaissance Man of my youth) / Bill Cosby (comedian and hard truth-teller) / Chet Raymo (author of "The Soul of the Night"). Presumably Living Elsewhere: C.S. Lewis (yes, the Narnia author) / the Gadarene Demoniac (Gospel of Mark, Chapter 5) / Martin Luther King (peacemaker and pre-entitlement social activist) / Bob Hope (think of all the stories) / Mark Heard (songwriter's songwriter). Have Met Briefly, Would Like to See Again: Bruce Cockburn (the gold standard of artistry). The other odd answer to this question is that if I could manipulate space and time, I'd like to meet each of my three children and be someone other than their Dad (or to be the same age as they are in disguise). There's something about the built-in role of "parent" that allows me to get close to them in so many ways ... but in other ways it also engenders a bit of distance ... a "but you're my Father" stand-offish kind of deal. I don't say this as an indictment or criticism. I know that all three of my beloved children are incredible people and they are growing and evolving still. What I hope for is to live long enough to see them truly come into their own ... a process that cannot be sped up or accomplished by will or desire alone. There is no substitute for how the passage of time and events will shape who you are and who you can become. Sometimes I wish that I could sit next to my kids and experience what other people get to see ... to have them forget that I'm me for awhile. Does that sound psycho? I could probably send a psychologist to Hawaii for a week on what it would cost to sort this out! I also had the same longing with my own Father ... that I could step into the body of a sixty-something man and be a friend to him, go fishing with him (and I don't know the first thing about fishing). He died on November 10, 1994 (Kate's birthday) and darned if I don't still miss him.



..FAMILY..

Paul Bennett = My beloved oldest son. A Marine/Iraq veteran, near the top of my “Most Respected Men List”, a fine photographer (not just a proud Dad talking here), his own man, tough and tender, occasional spontaneous MySpace semi-nudity! Be careful, okay.

Colin Bennett = My beloved second son. Sideways humor, encyclopedic knowledge of media (film, TV, anime, gaming), Japan aficionado, kind and generous, blessed and burdened with a lot of me in him. A sweetness of soul here.

Katie Bennett = My beloved only daughter. Feels deeply, loves deeply. Survivor of two big brothers (no small accomplishment). Dares to be hopeful. Careful at first … but when she lets you in, you’re in! She makes my Father Heart leap inside me. I have no doubt that the soul of an artist will guide her to live artistically.

Tim Bennett = My little brother who got there first (Faith), invests in the lives of others (teaching), laughs at my stupid jokes and forgives by Divine Example. Keeper of the Family History and remembers almost everything. He's a fine, fine man. And we still tease each other mercilessly!

..LIKE FAMILY..

Pavilion Coffee Shop = The HUGE (as in numbers) Twitty Family, dearest Leslie and righteous desserts by Stumpy. The best (and, admittedly, probably the only) cool place to play acoustic music in Cayce, South Carolina. The food? Always tasty. The welcome and fellowship? Even better. If you're in the Southeast United States, stop on by won't you?

Billy Sprague = As inventive a songwriter and as fine a musical companion as a man could have. Keeps Bruce Carroll and me in line.

Bob Franke = Masterful songwriter, fine teacher and has always been so encouraging to me. First heard “Hard Love” and “Thanksgiving Eve” covered by David Wilcox.

Bob Somma = One of my Tuesday AM Compatriots. Bob is one of the most versatile and inventive guitarists I’ve ever heard. He’s so good at it that it looks like nothing. But, trust me, it’s really something. One of the more reasonable and wise humans I’ve ever run across. And he (along with Terry Clark) makes fabulous coffee, usually it's Sisters Coffee “Black Butte Gold”! When all hell is breaking loose, you want to have Somma on your team.

Inga Barks = I first knew her as a concert sponsor in Bakersfield. Now she is one of Kern County’s most listened to and interesting talk show hosts. I’m so proud of her! As a respectful married man, I can still say of my sister in the Faith: she’s cuter than Ann Coulter and conservative without the right-but-nasty streak!

Joey Latimer = My musical partner for about five years or so … thirty-five years ago. Joey taught me a lot and was always a calmer and more balanced presence than yours truly. Cool songs, interesting production and guitars, a positive influence in the world!

Kate Rusby = My pal Billy Crockett gave me “Little Lights”. I fell in musical love with her … so did Elena! She’s apparently deathly afraid to fly, so nothing much outside Europe so far. Great voice, great arrangements, a pervasive grace in her music.

Mac McAnally = Mac is simply too good for his own good. He has been THE songwriter’s songwriter for as long as I can remember. Overtones of country, but a great and underappreciated pop sensibility as well. His albums are essential listening for anyone who cares about the craft. And one day long ago we hung out, traded a few songs and then he bought me lunch in Nashville. How stinkin' cool is that!

Nathan Brown = A poet, college professor, singer-songwriter and an unfailingly interesting fellow. When I told him of my ignorance of poetry, he simply suggested “Billy Collins”. I’ll always be grateful to him for that!

Pierce Pettis = Album after album, song after song, year after year. No sense in trying to be as good as him. Just be grateful HE’S as good as he is! You never know where he will lead you, but you can always trust him to take you somewhere important and heartfelt without the schmaltzy stuff. Many of his songs either hint at or, in some cases, explicitly refer to a thoughtful Christian Faith. But they are always songs first and foremost, never propaganda. He NEVER panders. He just kills you with attention to detail and eyes wide open. Because he's not sentimental, you get to do all of that when you're listening!

Stephen Bishop = Yes, he’s the “On and On” guy. But he has always been so much more. A consummate songwriter and singer who, beyond all reason, still sounds as incredible as he did thirty-five years ago. Check out “Romance in Rio” (formerly titled “Saudade”) and the earlier “Blue Guitars” to hear a man who’s prime apparently lasts his whole career!

Taylor Carroll = Younger son of my dear pal Bruce Carroll. He is a drummer with a controlled ferocity that is pretty cool to encounter. And one of the nicest young men I know. His middle name is “Bennett” and I love him like he was one of my own! Currently with the band Air 5

TJ Rhoades = TJ brought me to Elizabethtown, KY a few years back and we became pals. He is one of the nicest men I have ever me (or worked with). I had the distinct honor of “mid-wifing” a friendship between TJ and my dear late friend Roby Duke. I want to go back to Kentucky! TJ?

..HOLDOVERS..

Black People Who Love James Taylor = Still my absolute favorite site on MySpace because its very existence gives me hope about what can (and should) bind us together no matter who the artist is: good music.

Tom Wilson = Tom will always have a place in my Top Friends. He is a multi-talented man who manages his notoriety (past and present) with great skill and appreciation for his audiences. Have you not had enough smart-aleck celebrities already? Tom is the Anti-Celebrity (in the best sense of what that should mean). He's funny, he sings, he paints, he acts, he does voice-over work ... for all I know he may be the next Iron Chef! He's ..that.. cool.

..IN A CATEGORY ALL HIS OWN..

This is the as-yet-undeveloped MySpace page of show business legend Moe Snelton. You name the star, he's worked with them. Although he must be somewhere in the middle of his eighth decade now, he's eternally youthful. Both wise and a wise guy. Stay tuned here for more Moe developments. (Oh, I have never seen Moe Snelton and Jeff Lams in the same room at the same time ... does that mean something?!?) Also, I'm occasionally at work on the beginning stages of Moe Snelton: The Musical.