On Nov. 14, Mac Benning, a renowned bluegrass banjoist, singer and songwriter in the Valley, will be joined on stage at Steve’s Guitars by another six musicians, including: his fiancée, Abbie Cheney, who will be sharing her vocal talents, upright bassist Jonathan Ballou, drummer Chad Patrick, saxophone and clarinet player Chance Davis, electric guitarist William Brown and mandolin player Paul Holsinger.
Benning has been a part of the bluegrass scene, “in a serious manner,” for the past decade. Though, he has been playing since the age of 19.
“I told my dad I was thinking about playing the banjo. The next time I visited him in Atlanta, he had one. It was a tenor banjo,” Benning told The Sopris Sun. “I found that I really liked playing with other people. Bluegrass jams tend to be a little gatekeepy, but that is not the case I found here in the Valley.”
He incorporates jazz, country, modern and traditional bluegrass and progressive strings, often conjuring sounds that evoke visuals one might expect when thinking of old Western films. A perfect example of this can be found on his most recent album, “Richmond Ridge,” which just dropped on Sept. 19.
Often, in bluegrass jams, musicians are categorized by skill level, ranging from beginner to intermediate to advanced players. Benning said that hearing feedback from longtime musicians, who often told him he was doing it wrong, challenged and even inspired him.
“That is a lot of what drove me initially to start taking it seriously, and then start getting into different genres like jazz or other alternative genres,” Benning said.
After he departed from a previous local band, The Red Hill Rollers, he began jamming with Brown and Holsinger. With no prior knowledge of writing charts or reading jazz music, Benning learned a great deal about the genre on the fly and developed connections with other musicians in the Valley through this experience. The trio still plays together every Wednesday.
When discussing the upcoming performance at Steve’s, Benning said he really appreciates the local venue as a place to share his music and to experience the joy of creating art with friends, especially as their respective musical careers blossom.
“Steve’s has a really intimate vibe. I think you really get a sense of community there. Especially if you’re local. You’re going to see people you know, and know well, at Steve’s,” he said. “I think that’s great. I think it’s good to have venues like Steve’s here in the Valley, whereas TACAW and Belly-Up are a pretty big jump for local musicians that are not necessarily on the professional touring circuit.”
He, likewise, spoke highly of his bandmates.
“I’m excited to have such a powerhouse band behind me and on stage with me. I’m mostly excited to hear them play my songs, and just to listen to them play is going to be fun.”
Fans of Benning can also expect new music from him in the near future, as he hopes to work on an album or a series of singles throughout the winter.
To keep up with Mac Benning, visit www.macbenning.com
For tickets to the show at Steve’s on Nov. 14 at 8pm, visit www.stevesguitars.net