Ben Sharkey
By Ebony Nicole
It is no secret that Metro Detroit is a hotbed of unique musical talent. This week I had the pleasure of sitting down with Ben Sharkey, a musical performance artist who has been causing quite a stir around Metro Detroit. Inspired by his own family's musical roots, Sharkey's mix of R&B, jazz, and soul is one that you ought to become familiar with.
Ben has shown a love for music all his life. Growing up Stockbridge, MI in a household where his mother sang and his Grandfather owned a live music bar in Flint, you could say that musical talent was in his blood. As a youngster Ben was constantly singing along with the radio, and playing the family piano.
Ben has shown a love for music all his life. Growing up Stockbridge, MI in a household where his mother sang and his Grandfather owned a live music bar in Flint, you could say that musical talent was in his blood. As a youngster Ben was constantly singing along with the radio, and playing the family piano.
Inspired by R&B at an early age, Ben became a fan of artists like Toni Braxton, Jon B, and Stevie Wonder. Although Ben always wanted to be a musician, achieving this dream had its challenges and money was one of them. After a stint in New York, Ben, with his mother's advice, decided it made more sense to take the college route and focus on his other passion which is Art.
As soon as Ben graduated he began to take singing seriously. "It's best to do it when you're young." Young and driven Ben started to post videos of himself singing original songs and covers on YouTube and he soon became a sensation, racking up tons of hits and garnering a lot of attention. This then led to Ben being offered opportunities to perform at top venues.
The Motor City has been good to Ben. As he puts it, "Detroit is the perfect place for an up-and-coming musician to get started and make a name for themselves." One of Ben's most memorable experiences so far happened last year when he opened at the Royal Oak Music Theater for acclaimed soul superstar Robin Thicke.
Ben's describes his shows as having a jazzy vibe. "The reason I like jazz is because of the sophistication of it." Ben places an emphasis not only on the music but also on the appearance of himself and his band. Not only a jazz musician, Ben also fuses his R & B roots into his music and is a songwriter as well.
Singing classic renditions, original works and also doing jazz versions of pop songs comes naturally to Ben and it's his risk-taking and creative performance style that allows him to stand out.
For more information on Ben's upcoming show's, and to get your hands on his hot new album visit his website below.
Ben's describes his shows as having a jazzy vibe. "The reason I like jazz is because of the sophistication of it." Ben places an emphasis not only on the music but also on the appearance of himself and his band. Not only a jazz musician, Ben also fuses his R & B roots into his music and is a songwriter as well.
Singing classic renditions, original works and also doing jazz versions of pop songs comes naturally to Ben and it's his risk-taking and creative performance style that allows him to stand out.
For more information on Ben's upcoming show's, and to get your hands on his hot new album visit his website below.
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