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Born at home on December 10, 1981, Ben early experienced an unusual childhood that included home schooling, voluntary service, foster and adopted siblings, and yearly trips to the Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival. Ben distinguished himself musically in the third grade by singing a solo in the school Christmas program and subsequently becoming a regular soloist on the church worship schedule. Although he took piano lessons for a few years, piano did not excite him or inspire him and most of those years he continued piano because of parental demands more than because of any love for the instrument. After reading some liberal educational philosophy about trusting children to find their own path, Ben's parents gave up on the piano lessons. At that point Ben took up juggling and dulcimer. He got pretty good at juggling. He even presented a couple of short programs with his juggling stunts. His mom asked if he wanted some instruction on the dulcimer. He remembered piano lessons. Then he politely told his mom that he would like some instructional tapes for the dulcimer IF she would promise never to make him practice. With subversive educational philosophy still swirling in her head, she quickly agreed and Ben took off with abandon. The instructional tapes were made by John McCutcheon, and Ben spent about 6 months working through the six tapes worth of lessons. After that he was on his own.
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After playing for two years Ben entered his first Walnut Valley National Hammer Dulcimer Contest. He entered the next year as well, but skipped the following year because he had moved to West Virginia to give a year of service to God between high school and college. When he moved back home he entered the contest and this time took first place, bringing home an ostentatious trophy that will live forever on the back of the top shelf of his closet. (Ben is very modest.) During the time that he was entering contests he was also writing and recording his music on two CD's, Homestretch and Cricket in the Kitchen. Ben spent one year in college but subversive educational philosophy got the best of him again and he decided to not go into major debt with no major in mind, just because most people his age do. He is currently pursuing another service assignment. He has also learned to play guitar, mandolin, and a little banjo since beginning the dulcimer, and has recorded with other artists in the last year.
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