Rockabilly Pioneer Jerry Benty Interview – Get it here

Hope you all had a great weekend.

Mine was uneventful, except that we bought a dog for my in-laws.

I received a reply from Rockabilly pioneer Jerry Benty to some of the questions I had for him.  Sadly he wasn’t available for a telephone interview, so I’ve decided to post his answers here and also on my MySPace and FaceBook pages.

Those pages are:

MySpace.com/Rockabillyhq

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1179885734

There’s a bunch more information and goodies on those sites too.

Here’s the Jerry Benty interview:

Q: Where and when were you born and what was your up-bringing like?
> A. Born in Pittsburgh Pa. in 1936 to a hard working steel working family.
> Q: Who were your first influences in music?
> A. My biggest influence was Chet Atkins.
> Q: What made you decide to be a musician?
> A. It kind of came naturally.
> Q: How did you first big break come about?
> A. I wrote and recorded some songs and got involved with my so called
> manager and things went from there. I never really made it big, but it was
> a lot of good times.
> Q: Who would you say was the biggest influence when you started your
> musical career?
> A. Once again Chet Atkins. Vocally it was Elvis, Conway Twitty, and a
> little Merle Haggerd.
> Q: What was life like as a recording artist?
> A. Not as what you hear about today. I was just trying to get by.
> Q: Can you give me a time-line of your recordings? (The names of the
> songs, when and where they were recorded and any other information you
> give about the sessions etc..)
> A. I guess I recorded back in 1959 in a studio in Cleveland Oh. I think my
> best tune was ” We’re gonna have love ” I didn’t write it but we recorded
> it.
> Q: What’s your favorite song of yours?
> A Same as above.
> Q: What is your opinion of today’s music?
> A. The only music of today that I can enjoy is Country.
> Q: What event would you say “changed your life”?
> A. No answer
> Q: Who have been your favorite people you have worked with?
> A. Almost every musican that I worked or played music with.
> Q: What advice would you give to anyone wanting to become a musician?
> A. Don’t read it from a sheet, feel it in your soul.
> Q: What has been your biggest achievement so far?
> A. Of course being married to the same wonderful lady .
> Q: If you could go back and do it all again what, if anything, would you
> change?
> A. Change managers. I still feel ripped.I know my recordings were sold to
> a different label unbenonst to me.
> Q: Do you have a message to the subscribers of RockabillyHQ.com ?
> A.Keep rockin!!

Stay tuned

Al E. Cat

www.rockabillyhq.com