Acoustic bluesman Ben Prestage has been kicking around for a few years, but chances are that you're not familiar with this talented blues stylist. He's been a street performer in Memphis, appeared at a few high profile blues festivals, and has performed in dives across the U.S. Prestage has released five self-produced albums to date, the most recent being last year's Live At Pineapple Willy's. He placed high in the 2006, '07, and '08 International Blues Challenge competitions, but remains one of the best unsigned artists in the blues.
What road did Prestage take to the blues? "I became interested in blues music when I started playing guitar," he says in an email interview. "I was about 13 and I heard Stevie Ray Vaughn. When I showed interest, my dad immediately introduced me to the music he grew up on: Jimmy Reed, Little Walter, etc. My dad is from Mississippi, so he grew up around blues."
Growing up in Florida, Prestage's unique sound is part swamp-blues and roots-rock, part Mississippi Delta blues, all of it performed as a one-man band. He counts among his musical influences "Bukka White, R.L. Burnside, Fred McDowell, Tampa Red, Mississippi John Hurt, Bill Broonzy are some big influences," he says. "I am also influenced by pickers like Jerry Reed, Doc Watson & Merle Travis. Lately, Uncle Dave Macon has been an influence. I have also been heavily influenced by one man bands: John Lowe, Joe Hill Louis, Doctor Isaiah Ross...."
The result is a sound that is both familiar and uniquely personalized. "My music is distinctive because I cover so many styles of blues and American roots music," Ben says. "From Delta blues, North Mississippi Hill Country blues, pre-war Chicago blues, ragtime, Appalachian dance music and Appalachian ballads to modern original music." Prestage brings it all home with his entertaining performance style. "All my music is performed in a one man band context. I play acoustic and electric guitars, diddley-bow, foot drums, harmonica, banjo harmonica, fiddle, lap steel guitar, and sing."
Find out more: review of Ben Prestage's Live At Pineapple Willy's
Photo courtesy Ben Prestage
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