Ben was born in Findlay, Ohio. Although he didn't go to Ohio State, he still confronts every person in New York wearing an Ohio State shirt with "O-H!" Sometimes, he accepts the camaraderie of another fan by a reciprocating, "I-O," but most times receives odd looks from foreigners who were cold and bought the pretty scarlet and grey sweatshirt at Macy's.
Music came naturally, for Ben, as he was happy to plunk out Chop Sticks, in the nude, sometime around his 4th birthday. He took piano lessons for one year from a neighborhood friend, Frankie Stafford, for whom he owes so much. She once tolerated his rendition of “Old MacDonald” at her annual Christmas recital. He still plays his upright, daily.
After attempting to sing the Hallelujah Chorus at St. Andrew’s at the ripe age of 6, his mother knew there was talent hidden deep down inside of that off-pitched, squeaky, barely-tolerable voice of his. Little did she know how submerged that talent was.
Bio to be continued…