For Benny, his song writing skills which have made him a staple in many people’s playlists have emerged from ideas, conversations and moments from his everyday life, which inspire him in one way or another. And his musicality started from an early age and naturally grew to the career he has today.
‘‘Everything kind of evolved from growing up and playing music,’’ he said.
‘‘Early on when I was in high school, if I was kicked out of class I’d go to what was called the Referral Room and I’d just sit there and write, write, write stuff down. I remember having little scraps of paper stashed away and when I started thinking more about actually writing songs for me to play, lyrically I had ideas and it came reasonably natural.
‘‘Once I left school, I worked a real job and I realised how much I did not enjoy that so I thought I’d go and try keep writing more music and playing shows and eventually I got busier and busier.
‘I think once I kind of decided to do it and change my mind to follow music, I realised this is definitely what I want to do.
‘‘At the time I was working three or four jobs, all casual or part-time, and I started to pare them back one by one and then it just got to the point where I was taking so much time off work it wasn’t fair to the people who were employing me.
‘‘My life followed on with albums, EPs and more touring and it has become the life and the lifestyle I have.’’
Recently Benny has joined the Select Music team and been named in the line-ups for Bluesfest Byron Bay, Grampians Music Festival, as the opening acts for Tex, Don & Charlie at Taronga Zoo and he’s set to go on tour with Tom Richardson over February to April. A massive 2019 is already booked for the deep alternative groover and that’s only the first four months covered.
‘‘I’m doing a tonne of writing and just working on new music at the moment,’’ he said.
‘‘There’s a new single out on the January 25 just before the festival season beings. And I’m hoping to put another out before Bluesfest.
‘‘I’ve added another member to the band so its going to be a five piece band at shows now.
‘‘It’s looking like it will be a really fun year.
‘‘Across the three Riverboats performances all of them will be different.
‘‘I’m doing the paddlesteamer on the Saturday morning which will be a little stripped back as a trio. I’ll have the five piece band on the main stage so that will be a kind of rock show. And on the Sunday at the breakfast I’ll be doing a solo show and just chill out.’’
‘‘I like to talk about the songs during solo shows so there will be a bit of banter in between.’’
Benny Walker will kick off Saturday for the Riverboats Music Festival.
Audio source: Benny Walker - Oh No You Don't2017Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjiQpNquwY4Woman2014Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrRKWTqsr8w
Interviewed by: Kimberley Price.
Voice: Vivienne Duck.
Produced by: Kimberley Price and Vivienne Duck.
A Riverine Herald production.
