Biography

"I feel the same excitement now that I had when I started playing, back in Charleston W.Va." muses singer / songwriter / guitarist" Ben Brookes Belcher". "I am performing now just like I started over 3 decades ago, with just an acoustic guitar". "I didn't have any formal training other than what my father and his musician friends taught me. "When I heard Chet Atkins, that was it for me...I spent hours and hours in front of the record player trying to emulate his playing, I never quite got there but I took what I learned, and my style developed from there. I always had these bothersome sounds in my head that I had to get out thru my music"

"Vocally I was influenced by listening to everything from Merle Haggard to Motown."

Ben went to work in the coal fields of West Virginia after graduating High School. He played at night in the clubs around Charleston. "Playing those rough joints in W.Va. REALLY gave me some valuable experience" After several years of coal mining, Ben accepted an offer to tour with a group and subsequently spent several decades on the road. Ben matured as a writer and artist working on stage with various artists such as Dan Seals, Kentucky Headhunters, McGuffey Lane, Mel Tillis, Joe Diffie, Charlie Daniels Band, Marshall Tucker, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Kris Kristofferson, Platters, Tim Buppert and many others.

In the early 90's Ben met the legendary producer "Bill Halverson" (Crosby Stills Nash Young, Eric Clapton, John Hiatt, Leroy Parnell) along with Tony Cottrill (who became the drummer for Hank Laww), through working on various recording projects, Bill felt that Ben had a unique style and sound. Bill decided to produce a band project that became "Hank Laww", with Ben as the lead singer and co- writer. " I learned so much from Bill and Tony, enjoyed their production and direction, after several years of touring and recording with that group, and even with appreciative critical acclaim, the group disbanded. I needed a break, so I kept writing and performing solo, which helped me realize... why I do this… because I enjoy it, my passion for the music had faded along the way, but now it feels great."

Ben is currently recording his follow up to " Tracks" album, due for release in Jan. working title is "Hillbilly Soul".
"My father gave me some advice years ago when I was starting out, to focus on the acoustic guitar and make your own path.. Before my father passed away several years ago, he showed me some lyrics he had written about his life growing up around the coal camps of rural West Virginia , I have written music to one of them and recorded it on the last album, I am finishing another song he wrote, about the harsh conditions the miners faced under the absolute control of the coal operators, it is called "RED DOG ROAD ".

I look forward to performing them for you.

~ Peace & Hillbilly Soul