Ben Demerath

From his gritty, inspired songwriting to his impressive guitar playing and powerful vocal register, Ben Demerath is a pure talent in every sense. His critically acclaimed debut album Jack of Fools has garnered recognition and respect from some of the finest acoustic performers in the world. He has been covered by such high profile publications as Dirty Linen, The Boston Herald and Music Row which called the album "a keeper...a simply terrific contemporary-folk performance." Writing from both a personal and observers point of view, Demerath has carved his own niche in the folk world with stories of real people, their triumphs and challenges. While incorporating his eclectic musical background and influences ranging from John Hiatt to Aretha Franklin, Tower of Power to traditional Indian and Irish music, Demerath is a complete original.

Demerath's romantic sensibility is apparent when his soulful tenor reveals a gripping sound full of conviction and a passionate cadency thatshowcases the emotional qualities of his lyrics and brings a riveting focus to his performances.

He's become a very important part of the deep and talented pool of singer/songwriters from the Northeastern US. The Springfield Union News said, "Demerath is a pure talent with a silk lined vocal register that covers a lot of ground," and bluegrass favorite Tim O'Brien praised him as "a great singer who writes good songs and delivers them well." Demerath was honored recently when he was asked to sing the National Anthem for his beloved Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Truly a dream come true!

Stylistically, Jack of Fools established Ben Demerath as an artist to be reckoned with in contemporary folk. His powerful and expressive vocals shine on this 12 song set (that includes eight original compositions), and is complemented by interweaving textures of dobro, lap steel, acoustic and electric guitar. The Boston Herald called it "one of those rare albums that seems to breathe real life." On tracks such as Every Shade of Blue and Jack of Fools, Demerath's unmistakably poetic songwriting style stands at the forefront and showcases his invigorating vocals. He experiments with mixing both acoustic and electric sounds for an affect that provides an amazingly mature and rhythm driven style. Producer David Chalfant (Erin McKeown, Patty Larkin, The Neilds) brings his unique touch to the record along with guests on the album that include Cliff Eberhardt, Mark Erelli, Katryna Nields and Louise Taylor.

In 1992, Demerath co-founded SugarBeat with banjoist Tony Furtado, mandolinist Matt Flinner and vocalist/bassist Sally Truitt. The band recorded for Blue Planet Music and toured extensively throughout the U.S. When the group disbanded in 1996, Demerath delved into songwriting, penning some of the songs which are included on Jack of Fools. In 2000, Sugarbeat reunited at Rockygrass 2000 for a powerhouse show, performing for thousands of fans Since that time, Demerath has built a strong following through steady touring of the national festivals and playing with such artists as Dar Williams, The Nields, Lucy Kaplansky, Stacey Earle, The Kennedy's, Peter Rowan and Rick Danko. He has shared the stage with Shawn Colvin, Emmylou Harris and other contemporaries and has performed at such major venues as The Rocky Mountain Folk Festival, Winterhawk 2000, The Kennedy Center, The Iron Horse Music Hall and Club Passim.

Reflecting on his fortune of performing wtih some of the finest acoustic musicians touring today, Demerath says, "I have a tremendous amount of respect for players such as Mike Marshall, Darol Anger and Matt Flinner. I've been listening to Mike since high school and he is a perfect example of the virtuoso who's devoted to being the best player he can be while exploring many different styles of music. It's important to present your music with other musicians as much as you can and not just play every show solo. For me, I need to do both formats as one feeds off the other." With his haunting blend of contemporary acoustic and country rock influences, his poignantly emotional voice, considerable guitar skills and stellar band accompaniment, Demerath has found just the right mix to make him stand out as a distinctive and well-seasoned performer ready to embrace whatever comes his way.