Ben Waters is no stranger to Cornwall. Hailing from Dorset, he has spent many happy hours performing all over Cornwall and the Scilly Islands since he started playing in his early teens after having, in the best bluesman tradition “woke up one morning” to discover he was able to play piano. Since then, he has worked tirelessly, playing all over the world in his inimitable boogie woogie, rock ‘n ‘ roll concerts.
At the age of 17 a telephone call out of the blue from Shakin’ Stevens asking him to audition the next day in Scarborough propelled him into a career beyond his wildest dreams. He took over keyboard duties from Chris Holland who was leaving to join his brother Jools’s band. He told Jools about Ben and Ben supported him that year in Portsmouth. Jools has been a constant support to Ben and his son Tom – they all share a genuine love of music.
Ben went on to work with the much missed Charlie Watts, Axel Zwingenberger and Dave Green, performing as the ABC&D of Boogie Woogie, culminating in a CD Boogie4Stu which commemorated one of the founders of the Rolling Stones, Ian Stewart, who had died tragically from a heart attack at the age of 47. The subsequent launch concert at the Ambassadors Theatre in London has gone on to become a legendary occasion with most of the UK’s rock ‘n’ roll royalty performing, as well as his ten year old saxophone playing son, Tom, who has just graduated from the Royal Academy of Music and is forming his own burgeoning career.
Ben has performed and recorded with all the Rolling Stones from time to time, as well as Sir Ray Davies, Paul Jones, Mike d’Abo and Dave Kelly A line up at Ronnie Scotts is another legendary occasion with the wonderful late Jeff Beck, Johnny Depp, Imelda May all joining Ben and his good friend Ronnie Wood. Ronnie and Ben also toured with a tribute to Chuck Berry, both with whom they had performed. Ronnie’s CD, Mad Lad, acknowledges Chuck’s genius.
To say Ben is an international performer would be a great understatement: Most of Europe, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, Japan, Barbados, St Kitts and Nevis, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and more recently Columbia and Peru with trips planned to South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the Arctic. He often takes music lovers along with him and he has a family of friends who are intensely loyal who accompany him. He is, however, proud of coming from Dorset and its near neighbour Cornwall! He is looking forward to coming back to The Acorn Theatre in Penzance and meeting up with some of his good friends for some fun and rock ‘n’ roll.
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