Teaches in Nashville, TN

From Nashville, Tennessee

Plays Drums, and Piano

About

Ben exudes a passion for teaching and has over 30 years of experience working with aspiring musicians. With expertise in instructing Drums, Percussion for all levels as well as beginner to intermediate Piano students, Ben is a Nashville based musician and music instructor. As an author, Ben has released the amazon bestselling book “How to Play Drums in 14 Days” from Troy Nelson Music. Ben is also an author, proofreader, freelance editor and session performer for Hal Leonard Publishing, with published works including: “Workin’ Drums – 50 Solos for Drum set,” “40 Intermediate Snare Drum Solos,” “Rudimental Solos for the Marching Snare Drummer,” “Modern School for Mallet Keyboard Instruments,” “Hal Leonard School for Snare Drum,” transcriptions of Ray Luzier’s “Double Bass Drum Techniques”, the compilation book “First 50 Solos You Should Play on Snare Drum,” as well as performing on and writing for the Hal Leonard DVD “Traditional Rudimental Drumming” by John S. Pratt.

Ben also keeps a busy performance schedule performing many genres of music, sharing the stage with a diverse list of artists such as singer/composer and Grammy nominated artist Kip Winger, Eric Martin the voice of Mr. Big, Steve Brown and PJ Farley of Trixter, Anthony Corder the voice of Tora Tora, Todd Kerns, Tony Harnell the voice of TNT, guitar virtuosos Reb Beach, John Roth, Jorge Salan and Donnie Wayne Smith, Rock Vocalist Fiona Flanagan, the late great Jazz Pianist Barry Harris, celebrated Jazz saxophonists Eric Morones, Johnny Padilla, Berkeley Fudge, Aaron Gardner and Jesse Lee Montijo, Jazz guitarists Jack Grassel, Scott DuBois, Jeff Schroedl, Steve Peplin, Kirk Tatnall, Mike Standal, Michael Arnold, Pete Billman and Roger Brotherhood as well as many more great Jazz artists such as swing clarinetist Chuck Hedges, vibraphonist Rick Embach, bassists Tom McGirr, John Babbitt, Mark Solveson, Hal Miller, Mark Lewandowski and Vince Oglesby, pianists Kevin Kostick and Dean Lea, Jazz vocalists Jeannine Rivers and Anita Stemper, Swing Nouveau, in addition to Blues artists Altered Five, Jonny T-Bird and the MPs as well as Tallan Latz. Ben has worked with Legendary Rudimentalists John S. Pratt, Dominick Cuccia and Mitch Markovich, as well as Percussionists Jim Sewrey, Jeff Salisbury, Kaili Francisco and many more.

Ben has also enjoyed working with his students at his former music instructor positions at the Milwaukee Area Technical College, the Wisconsin Lutheran College, the Wisconsin Academy of Music, SAE Institute – Nashville and Metro Nashville Public Schools.

Ben is a Yamaha Performing Artist who also endorses Aquarian Drumheads, Mike Balter Mallets, Vic Firth Drumsticks, Tycoon Percussion and Impression Cymbals. Ben is a member of ASCAP and John S. Pratt’s ‘International Association of Traditional Drummers’.