Short Bio:

With the release of his second album, Land of the Shadows, Ben Bedford “…has proven himself to be a truly inspired and talented storyteller…” according to Arthur Wood (FolkWax). In its first month of airplay, Land of the Shadows reached number one on the Folk-DJ charts with three songs in the top ten. Land of the Shadows finished 2009 strong, as the fourth most played album on Folk-DJ Radio for the year, making Bedford the 16th most played artist of the year. In addition, the album received considerable airplay on the Sirius XM Satellite Radio program, The Village, syndicated programs through WFMT like The Midnight Special and River City Folk, as well as international programs like BBC Radio Scotland, gaining Bedford a more geographically widespread audience.

With an understated intensity, Bedford delivers intriguing sketches of America, its individuals, their victories and their struggles. Poignant, but never sentimental, Bedford’s portrait-like songs capture the vitality of his characters and draw the listener deep into the narratives.

After only four years as a full-time artist, Bedford has already played WFMT’s Folkstage (hosted by Rich Warren) as well as Izzy Young’s famed Folklore Centrum in Stockholm, Sweden. In addition, Bedford’s music has been played on National Public Radio’s Car Talk, reached the top ten on the Folk-DJ charts with both his debut and sophomore albums and was featured in The Sounding Board, the official newsletter of the renowned C.F. Martin Guitar Company. Referring to his style as “American Portrait Songwriting”, Bedford will spend 2009-2010 touring in support of Land of the Shadows.

Both albums were released on Hopeful Sky Records and are now carried by the independent label, Waterbug Records, based in the Chicago area.

Long Bio:

With the release of his second album, Land of the Shadows, Ben Bedford “…has proven himself to be a truly inspired and talented storyteller…” according to Arthur Wood (FolkWax). In its first month of airplay, Land of the Shadows reached number one on the Folk-DJ charts with three songs in the top ten. Land of the Shadows finished 2009 strong, as the fourth most played album on Folk-DJ Radio for the year, making Bedford the 16th most played artist of the year. In addition, the album received considerable airplay on the Sirius XM Satellite Radio program, The Village, syndicated programs through WFMT like The Midnight Special and River City Folk, as well as international programs like BBC Radio Scotland, gaining Bedford a more geographically widespread audience.

With the release of his debut album, Lincoln’s Man, Ben Bedford proves that one need not experience something firsthand to write about it. From life as a Confederate soldier’s wife to modern problems such as homelessness, Bedford takes the listener on a journey across the landscape of American humanity. Poignant but never sentimental, his songs are portraits which capture the life and vitality of his characters much like an artist, while illuminating universal themes of joy, struggle, death and betrayal.

A storyteller from the young age of 3, Bedford began by dictating stories to his parents before he could hold a pen. He continued to write short stories into his early teens. He picked up the guitar at the age of 14 after watching a friend play on a camping trip. In high school Bedford explored many different genres of music, but his world exploded when he discovered his mom’s Gordon Lightfoot collection and then began a foray into the world of folk and Americana that included artists such as Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Richard Shindell, and Patty Griffin. The work of these artists resonated with Bedford and inspired him to try his hand at songwriting.

In 2000, Bedford entered the University of Illinois in Urbana with intentions of becoming a history professor. While he finished his degree, he was sidetracked by his love of music and writing. The history lectures and texts instilled in Bedford a fascination with gritty human truths and the plight of the common man/woman through the ages. Bedford has used that love of the past to imbue his characters with a sense of historical reality, yet maintain a heightened emotional and human quality.

After only four years as a full-time artist, Bedford has already played WFMT’s Folkstage (hosted by Rich Warren) as well as Izzy Young’s famed Folklore Centrum in Stockholm, Sweden. In addition, Bedford’s music has been played on National Public Radio’s Car Talk, reached the top ten on the Folk-DJ charts with both his debut and sophomore albums and was featured in The Sounding Board, the official newsletter of the renowned C.F. Martin Guitar Company. Referring to his style as “American Portrait Songwriting”, Bedford will spend 2009-2010 touring in support of Land of the Shadows.

Both albums were released on Hopeful Sky Records and are now carried by the independent label, Waterbug Records, based in the Chicago area.