Biography
Nashville-based singer/songwriter Ben Rector crafts emotionally charged, melody-rich pop anchored by piano. Early independent releases such as Into the Morning in 2010 and Something Like This in 2011 generated regional interest, yet wider recognition arrived with The Walking in Between in 2013, which peaked at number 16 on the Billboard 200. Subsequent projects sustained that momentum: Brand New from 2015 and Magic from 2018 each claimed the top position on Billboard’s Americana/Folk Albums chart. In 2022 The Joy of Music further illustrated his stylistic range through collaborations with Snoop Dogg, Kenny G, and Dawes’ Taylor Goldsmith. A concert recording drawn from that tour, Live from Atlanta, followed, and in 2024 he paired with country singer Hailey Whitters for the single “Color Up My World.”
Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1986, Rector took up piano in childhood and added singing, guitar, and songwriting by his teenage years. Only after enrolling at the University of Arkansas did he begin committing his material to tape. A self-titled EP issued during his freshman year gained local traction and led to initial live performances. Upon earning his degree in 2009, he had already issued two full-length albums—Twenty Tomorrow in 2007 and Songs That Duke Wrote in 2008. He then moved to Nashville to establish himself as both songwriter and recording artist. Into the Morning, his third studio album, appeared in 2010 and reached number 11 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart while opening doors to opening slots with Five for Fighting and Dave Barnes. Something Like This arrived the next year, climbing to number 41 on the Billboard 200 despite its independent status. The Walking in Between, released in 2013, secured a Top 40 placement, and Live in Denver captured a 2014 concert.
Brand New surfaced in 2016, entering the Billboard 200’s Top Ten and topping the folk chart, propelled largely by the success of its title track. Magic, his seventh studio album, followed in 2018 and duplicated the number-one folk-chart achievement. In January 2019 he issued the MPLS Magic EP, presenting three reworked tracks from Magic. After the holiday collection A Ben Rector Christmas in 2020, Rector joined one of his influences, Steve Winwood, on the 2021 non-album single “Range Rover.” The Joy of Music, an eclectic 2022 full-length, featured an array of guests including Snoop Dogg, Kenny G, Dawes’ Taylor Goldsmith, and others. During the subsequent tour he recorded multiple performances; one yielded the 2023 release Live from Atlanta, which spotlighted an a cappella rendition of “Range Rover” performed with Stephen Day and Jordy Searcy. March 2024 brought the country duet “Color Up My World” with Hailey Whitters.
Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1986, Rector took up piano in childhood and added singing, guitar, and songwriting by his teenage years. Only after enrolling at the University of Arkansas did he begin committing his material to tape. A self-titled EP issued during his freshman year gained local traction and led to initial live performances. Upon earning his degree in 2009, he had already issued two full-length albums—Twenty Tomorrow in 2007 and Songs That Duke Wrote in 2008. He then moved to Nashville to establish himself as both songwriter and recording artist. Into the Morning, his third studio album, appeared in 2010 and reached number 11 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart while opening doors to opening slots with Five for Fighting and Dave Barnes. Something Like This arrived the next year, climbing to number 41 on the Billboard 200 despite its independent status. The Walking in Between, released in 2013, secured a Top 40 placement, and Live in Denver captured a 2014 concert.
Brand New surfaced in 2016, entering the Billboard 200’s Top Ten and topping the folk chart, propelled largely by the success of its title track. Magic, his seventh studio album, followed in 2018 and duplicated the number-one folk-chart achievement. In January 2019 he issued the MPLS Magic EP, presenting three reworked tracks from Magic. After the holiday collection A Ben Rector Christmas in 2020, Rector joined one of his influences, Steve Winwood, on the 2021 non-album single “Range Rover.” The Joy of Music, an eclectic 2022 full-length, featured an array of guests including Snoop Dogg, Kenny G, Dawes’ Taylor Goldsmith, and others. During the subsequent tour he recorded multiple performances; one yielded the 2023 release Live from Atlanta, which spotlighted an a cappella rendition of “Range Rover” performed with Stephen Day and Jordy Searcy. March 2024 brought the country duet “Color Up My World” with Hailey Whitters.
Albums
The Richest Man In The World (Deluxe)
2025
The Richest Man In The World
2025
Brand New
2015
Live in Denver
2014
Newy Lewis and the Hues: Greatest Hits
2014
The Walking in Between
2013
Something Like This
2011
Into the Morning
2010
Jingles and Bells
2009
Songs That Duke Wrote
2008
Singles
Live
