Ben Smith and The Boads
Let’s face it. There is a lot of music, and are a lot of bands out there. So why then, amidst all the choices in this chaotic jungle of a music scene, are fans increasingly coming back for more and more music from an ordinary guy with an ordinary name like Ben Smith? Well... we think it’s because oftentimes the best solution is usually the simplest one. And simply put, Ben Smith just does it. Be it at a solo acoustic guitar show in some small North Texas pub, or at a large festival backed by his riveting live band, “The Boads,” Ben Smith’s shows have been grabbing an increasing amount of attention from fans and music industry alike. So keep an eye out for Ben Smith and The Boads.
The Story Behind The Band
Ben Smith and The Boads consists of Cory Neu on bass guitar, Justin Holmes on drums, Tom Camlin on electric guitar, and Singer/Songwriter Ben Smith on vocals, harmonica, and acoustic guitar.
All on their own individual musical journeys, their paths ultimately collided on the hot, sweltering plains of North Texas. They jammed... they gigged... they looked at each other and agreed that it was awesome, and that indeed THEY were awesome. Needless to say, "The Band of Awesome Dudes (aka The Boads)" was formed. Of course Ben Smith is not technically included in The Boads because he in not awesome enough, so they agreed that they shall be called “Ben Smith and The Boads.”
Their Website
Long before The Boads was formed, Ben Smith had been sojourning the musical landscape of Texas with his guitar since college, managing to steer clear of a "real job" by playing shows and using his brawn and his forestry degree as a self-employed tree trimmer. He dabbled in Nashville here and there, but never dove in due to his vision of deep musical artistry and swagger, and never saw eye to eye with the trite and generic (yet monetarily well off) acts coming out of Nashville. And so he resolved to hack it as an independent artist, and stay loyal to the awesome dudes in his band, rather than go off and vie for the attention of the fickle mainstream. Determined NOT to use a stage name, Ben Smith had difficulty securing a simple website domain, as bensmith.com and bensmith.net were taken, and their owners not selling. Bensmithmusic.com was also taken by an Australian, less good-looking Ben Smith musician, who also would not sell.
“I just need a frickin’ website!” Ben proclaimed one rainy evening on the waning side of his adolescence in his dorm room at Texas A&M University. And instantly, light was cast upon the situation. www.BenFrickinSmith.com was born as the official web domain of Ben Smith, and continues to serve Ben Smith and The Boads.
So, if you care to lean such a way, you could technically refer to this band by their full name of “Ben Frickin’ Smith and The Band of Awesome Dudes.” But don’t pop your collar up just yet, they may have a youthful, college-aged humor and hipness going on, but they don't let it define them. Rather, it is the old-soul artistry and maturity that goes into the craft of their songs that truly makes this band stand above the crowd, and keeps fans returning to shows. Take a listen and discover for yourself.
Ben Smith- Denton, TX - Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica
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Part of Ben's story started at work in his hometown of Gainesville, TX when Ben was sixteen. One day he had a farming accident that should have killed or seriously disabled him. Though flipping a 6,000 pound tractor completely upside down is not usually viewed as a fortunate event, Ben considered it the luckiest day of his life. Tightly pinned underneath the massive tractor, Ben was stuck but alive.
Minutes passed as the wheels of the tractor spun and the engine churned, leaking fuel and oil all over the ground. Afraid of the prospect that the tractor might catch fire, Ben managed to shove himself out from under the tractor in one adrenaline-fueled burst of strength, walking away with only some scrapes and a fractured tailbone.
The next morning, Ben’s breakfast tasted better than anything he could have ever imagined. He felt a deep, simple appreciation for things that few people ever experience, and he hoped he could forever hold onto that perspective. Two years later, Ben found a new way to hold onto it when he began writing songs and performing them live while in college at Texas A&M University. Since then, his own blend of Alt-Country and Indie Acoustic influences combined with his varying songwriting styles has led Ben Smith to become a unique voice and an exceptional artist by any music scene's standards.
Justin Holmes- Fort Worth, TX - Drums
Justin began his musical journey at the age of 14 when he began playing guitar…poorly. Although he improved his guitar skills modestly, he always possessed the natural inclination to bang on inanimate objects to the beat of a good rock song. To his parent’s chagrin, he chose to pursue his loud and obnoxious new activity. Thus, a drummer was born.
After playing both guitar and drums in various rock bands around TX, he met Ben Smith in Fort Worth through a mutual friend. The conversation went like this:
Ben: "Do you want to jam?"
Justin: "Yes."
Then they jammed.
Ben invited Justin to play multiple live shows with him over a period of severl months, and soon realized that a musical chemistry was formed and that Justin was indeed his favorite of all DFW area drummers.
Influenced by legendary hard rock drummers, Justin adds a unique and charismatic energy to the band’s overall feel.
Tom Camlin- Carrolton, TX - Guitar
Just inverse of Justin going from being a guitar player to a drummer, Tom Camlin started out being a drum fanatic. But his mom and dad couldn't tolerate the noise, so his drumming became guitar slinging around the age of twelve. Ten + years later, the young Tom Camlin is now a notably skilled force to be reckoned with among guitarists in Texas.
Trained under the wing of former LA session player and DFW guitar wizard, Tom Hanby (who also produced Ben's 2006 release, "Sundown"), Tom Camlin's chops and demeanor add loads of excellence and professionalism to the band.
Though currently working on a degree in Corporate Finance at The University of North Texas, Tom wants to make a life career of guitar playing. And no doubt, he has all the talent to do it, and do it well.
Cory Neu - Lindsay, TX - Bass
The picture says it all... Cory is just dead sexy, and likes to slappa the bass!
