This Saturday, February 7th, local Chattanooga Alt-Country and roots-driven singer-songwriter Ben Torbett is set to take over the stage at The Woodshop Listening Room.
Torbett's music possesses vocals and songwriting that immediately transported me back in time to the first time I heard Patterson Hood from the Drive-By Truckers. There is a southern sensibility in his voice and a lived-in feel to his songwriting that is personal, reflective, and gritty.
His music is primarily roots-driven country that is emotionally vulnerable and honest, oftentimes reflecting the landscapes he grew up around.
Songs like “Hiawassee” and “Georgia Clay & the Tall Tall Pines,” from his most recent album, Bluer Side, released in October of 2024 to much acclaim, detail the landscapes of North Georgia, where Torbett grew up before relocating to Chattanooga. His music is steeped in the culture of the South and in soundscapes that are raw and emotionally cutting.
Torbett even received praise from Americana Highways for his most recent record, Bluer Side, with the blog, stating, “This album is called Bluer Side for a reason: it’s heartaches, wretchedness, blue sorrow, self-awareness, and memories, all carried by electric riffs, pedal steel, and rich guitar melodies. The album begins with a classic country feel before shifting into rootsy rock ’n’ roll. Start the year off right and give it a listen.”
In speaking with Ben, he discussed how his songwriting has evolved over the years since his debut project, The Plunge, was released in 2021.
“My songwriting is constantly changing and likely always will. Like most, I am influenced by the things I listen to, especially when it comes to sounds and feel. However, writing has always been the passion behind it all. I told my son the other day, ‘The only real reason I play the guitar is to support my stories, instead of the other way around.'
Today, with my own life experiences, my songs have changed from those imaginative, creative stories that might describe an emotion to more real and actual events in my personal life. I feel I can paint the truth much more easily because I've lived the moment or experienced it. This is most evident in Bluer Side.”
Expounding on that thought, Ben mentioned that Bluer Side is an album that came out of nowhere.
“Bluer Side really came from out of nowhere but was certainly there all along. The title came from a realization that while I was writing the project, I recognized that every single song I had written up to that point was just sad and blue. The tempo might be hot and make you want to move, but still, that message was pretty down there.
I pay attention to my life and the goings on around it. I genuinely care about my friends and family and my time with them. It's also a great way to experience life. If you are self-aware and aware of the things around you, there are songs everywhere, most without even looking.”
When asked where he sees his music and career evolving in the next few years, he suggested that he sees another album in his future, but mostly, he is enjoying where the ride takes him.
“I certainly see another record in the future, and a few songs have already been cut for it. I am very thankful for the opportunities I have had musically. Where does it go from here? I’ll never stop playing, and as long as I am having fun, I’m gonna let the experience take me wherever it wants to. No matter what, I’ll be happy in the end.”
Ben Torbett
- Saturday, February 7, 7 p.m.
- The Woodshop Listening Room.
- 5500 Saint Elmo Ave.
- $20-$100.
- thewoodshoplisteningroom.com