Ben Sollee
Ben Sollee (born 28 November 1983) is an American cellist, singer-songwrite… Read Full Bio ↴Ben Sollee (born 28 November 1983) is an American cellist, singer-songwriter, and composer known for his political activism. His music incorporates banjo, guitar, and mandolin along with percussion and unusual cello techniques.
It was the cat-poles around the lake at his grandfather’s farm that inspired Sollee’s debut album Learning To Bend. The frailty of those awkward looking plants standing stoutly against winds that challenged even the strongest of nearby trees is an affecting metaphor for human struggle and perseverance. This idea is central to Learning To Bend.
Key tracks on Learning To Bend include two reactions to the current political landscape, “A Few Honest Words,” and an adaptation of Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come,” in which Ben has written updated, politically relevant verses. Other highlights of the album are the playful, soul track, “How To See the Sun Rise” and the vulnerable yet insistent “It’s Not Impossible,” where Ben laments the unfortunate status quo that “boys don’t cry.”
Sollee has found considerable success in recent years through his ability to bend. In 2007, he was named one of NPR’s “Top Ten Unknown Artists of the Year.” His distinctive cello technique and soulful voice have been marinating for years in his work with avant-garde bluesman Otis Taylor, The Sparrow Quartet, (featuring banjo-master Béla Fleck), and on the internationally known Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour.
Sollee’s unique performance experience and creative vision trump his 24 years and traditional classical training; he is poised to emerge as a solo artist, bridging genres and demographics with earnest and dynamic songwriting. However, the single most salient quality of Learning to Bend, is Sollee’s contagiously optimistic worldview. Sollee is not just expressing his personal quest for flexibility, he is asking the entire country to learn to bend, learn how to cry, learn how to see the sun rise… He is at the forefront of a movement that is happening right now: a zeitgeist in which a nation can face reality and empower itself to evolve and feel deeply and stand up for the power of hope.
It was the cat-poles around the lake at his grandfather’s farm that inspired Sollee’s debut album Learning To Bend. The frailty of those awkward looking plants standing stoutly against winds that challenged even the strongest of nearby trees is an affecting metaphor for human struggle and perseverance. This idea is central to Learning To Bend.
Key tracks on Learning To Bend include two reactions to the current political landscape, “A Few Honest Words,” and an adaptation of Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come,” in which Ben has written updated, politically relevant verses. Other highlights of the album are the playful, soul track, “How To See the Sun Rise” and the vulnerable yet insistent “It’s Not Impossible,” where Ben laments the unfortunate status quo that “boys don’t cry.”
Sollee has found considerable success in recent years through his ability to bend. In 2007, he was named one of NPR’s “Top Ten Unknown Artists of the Year.” His distinctive cello technique and soulful voice have been marinating for years in his work with avant-garde bluesman Otis Taylor, The Sparrow Quartet, (featuring banjo-master Béla Fleck), and on the internationally known Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour.
Sollee’s unique performance experience and creative vision trump his 24 years and traditional classical training; he is poised to emerge as a solo artist, bridging genres and demographics with earnest and dynamic songwriting. However, the single most salient quality of Learning to Bend, is Sollee’s contagiously optimistic worldview. Sollee is not just expressing his personal quest for flexibility, he is asking the entire country to learn to bend, learn how to cry, learn how to see the sun rise… He is at the forefront of a movement that is happening right now: a zeitgeist in which a nation can face reality and empower itself to evolve and feel deeply and stand up for the power of hope.
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Ben Sollee Lyrics
A Change is Gonna Come Well, it's dark in the city I've lost my pride The lights…
A Few Honest Words If you're going to lead my country, If you're gonna say…
Bend When the storm comes Will you reject the rain If it falls…
Bible Belt Bought an old tux coat at the vintage store* Had a…
Built For This Hang your worries on my thin Kentucky frame Lay your fears…
Bury Me With My Car When I'm gone, now, bury me with my car When I'm…
Close to You Close to You* Sometimes, I wear feathers to feel close to…
Copper and Malachite Goodnight darling, goodnight I hope you sleep well Goodnig…
Embrace If ever your hand should tremble* And reach for my battered…
How to See The Sun Rise Well, teach me, baby, oh lord, yes A little show-and-tell …
How to See the Sun Rise (Live) Well, teach me, baby, oh lord, yes A little show-and-tell Ho…
Hurting Someone's taken the boy from your face* Traded your eyes fo…
I Can't This ain't the life I thought I'd live This ain't the…
I Need You look so familiar You move like I thought you would You…
It's Not Impossible It's not impossible for me to cry It's just the hardest…
Letting Go It’s a long, hard road Through a rough edged land To the…
Mechanical Advantage You can even flag or report thing if you want Yeah…
Panning for Gold I saw God by the river Panning for gold I saw God…
Pieces of You Well, I wish I could keep every piece of you All…
Prettiest Tree on the Mountain Well, a robin flew by my window I thought it just…
The Globe I guess they never told you how the Globe burned…
The Wires We talked about making it. I′m sorry that you never made…