Musician/Singer/Songwriter/BMI.. Benny is a true southerner, born in Birmingham, has lived most all his life in Alabama. Benny has been playing guitar since he was 10 years old. "I love music, and enjoy writing and recording as much as playing live" Welcome to benjammin music !!!
I enjoy writing/producing/recording/ and playing music. I have played with many different bands and musicians over the years including Tin Pan Alley and The Dee Ford Band. Although Benny was born in Birmingham, he grew up in Gadsden, Alabama 60 miles North East of B'ham. There is where he really started to get into music, at the age of 10 he got his first guitar. He was playing Baseball, Basketball, and Football and his love for sports is still strong today. It was when he and two cousins Harold, and Robert Tolbert started their first band that the Music bug really hit. Some of their first bands were performing at skating rinks and party's. Later in Jr. High School is when Benny met Keith Hunt, David Holland, and Steve Mckinney and with Ricky Anderson on bass would become "Dream" a band that won just about every battle of the bands they entered. Then on to High School the line-up woud change and vary somewhat, but basically had the same members until the horn explosion of the late 60's and early 70's. Then came "9th Avenue South" a full blown horn band with Chicago, Blood, Sweat, and Tears,and Ides of March influence..Benny, and David both doubled on guitar and trumpet, and Keith would play drums and keyboards. After High School Benny would play with with a few other bands gigging in and around Gadsden, and Birmingham. Another cousin Ed Swanger and guitarist Buddy Holland, Benny, and Mike Genry had some success with "Freefall" a Styx meets ZZ Top type group that worked all around the southeast. Then in 1974 while playing at the I-20 truck stop Benny was offered a job with a band which included Mike Garmon, Frank Smith, Bobby Mullinax, and Kenny Boley. This would eventually become "Tin Pan Alley" after a few name changes from Cloverleaf, and The Gambler Band. Tin Pan Alley played all over the southeast, and then some. They were the hardest working band around at the time. After many nights on the road, Benny, Bobby, Frank, and Mike would stay up til daylight writing songs and perfecting harmony guitar riffs, and working out vocal harmonies. It was in the early 80's that Benny accepted a house gig with the "Dee Ford Band" in Anniston, Alabama after a long 10 years on the road. This is where He met Paula and they married on June 4th 1984. Benny played in a few bands with Keyboardist (Nudy Mathis). It was in 1989 that Paula started singing in the band and along with Benny's brother Randy the "Next of Kin band" was formed. Only playing about 100-150 shows a year mostly weekends since the mid 80's. It was in 1990 that Benny went to work for Contel Telephone which in 1992 merged with GTE, who merged with Bell Atlantic to become Verizon, who sold Alabama and Missouri to Centurytel in 2002. It was in 2002 when Benny started putting together his home studio and really doing a lot more writing and producing. That pretty much brings us to now. With the completion of "Sweet Sounds from Alabam" CD I really feel that I have accomplished at least something that I can leave behind. I plan on getting better with each and every song I write, and each project that I take on. I have been married to my wife Paula for 24 years. I have a Daughter "Tamara" ,and Paula and I have a son "Daniel" who currently attends The University of Alabama. My main influences would have to be The Allman Brothers, Marshall Tucker, CDB, Wet Willie, Eric Clapton, The Eagles etc...and also Chicago, Blood Sweat and Tears, Ides of March, and the horn bands of the late 60's and early 70's. Some of my favorite guitarists are Eric Clapton, Duane Allman, Jimi Hendrix, Steve Morse, Dickie Betts, and way too many more to mention.lol!! Check us out at www.levertonbrothers.com