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Ben Taylor played the First Act Studio in February 2006. Warming up a chilly Saturday, Taylor played to a packed house. Accompanied by guitarist David Saw, Taylor played tunes from his latest release, Another Run Around the Sun, an album enriched with fresh, tender lyrics and balmy vocals.
Although the likeness to his parents’ (James Taylor and Carly Simon) musical complexions are undeniable, Ben has reached past his family’s influence to create a voice all his own. We spoke to him about being and becoming an artist:
FA: Your first instrument was probably your voice. But did you learn guitar first?
Ben: Yeah. I don’t really play anything else really. I started when I was eleven.
FA: Are you self-taught, or did you have traditional lessons?
Ben: No, I just sort of picked it up and started going at it.
FA: The decision to pursue music as a career – did it come to you as sort of a lightning bolt, or did it come to you in bits?
Ben: In bits, slowly. It comes clearer and clearer.
FA: What do you think is one of the greatest challenges to what you do?
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Ben: I think that the hardest thing is relying upon yourself to keep going day after day, and keeping on top of your health. It really is a lot to ask of your body to barrel around the country in a steel can or metal capsule at eighty miles an hour and then get up and do three shows a day. It’s a lot.
FA: Since you’ve been performing, is there a moment you remember that’s been a real “wow” moment?
Ben: It’s all pretty startling and surprising. Just every day, there’s something else.
FA: So, you’re from a family of musicians. Did your family ever play together at home?
Ben: Not really. Probably less than other musical families, because there was such a conscious decision on my parents’ part not to put any pressure on us to be musically inclined.
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