Biography
Benjamin Booker, the guitarist based in New Orleans, pulls inspiration equally from postwar electric blues and trashy garage punk. That blend surfaced clearly on his self-titled debut from 2014 as well as the 2016 live session released by Third Man Records. Soul influences emerged when he joined Mavis Staples for the title track of his 2017 album Witness. He then stepped away from attention, issuing only the 2020 charity single “Black Disco.” His return involved a different label and producer, yielding the third album Lower on Fire Next Time Records in 2025, co-produced with Kenny Segal.
Raised in Tampa Bay, his ascent unfolded rapidly. Periods in Gainesville and New Orleans led back to Florida, where he performed for just over a year in the duo Booker & Norton alongside drummer Max Norton before signing with ATO Records. He shifted to solo work yet kept Norton as his chief collaborator, enlisting Andrija Tokic of Alabama Shakes to produce the first album. The self-titled Benjamin Booker appeared in August 2014, months after recording, and drew strong critical praise.
Early in 2015 Jack White’s label both hosted and issued the concert album Live at Third Man Records. Seeking fresh perspectives for songwriting, Booker lived in Mexico City beginning in early 2016 and composed much of the subsequent ATO release there. The work opened with “Witness,” his collaboration with Mavis Staples responding to racist acts of violence. The album Witness followed in mid-2017. After touring ended he stayed largely out of sight until releasing “Black Disco” in 2020, with proceeds going to the Southern Poverty Law Center. He also appeared on a 2023 track by Billy Woods and hip-hop producer Kenny Segal. Segal later co-produced the gritty third album Lower, issued in early 2025.
Raised in Tampa Bay, his ascent unfolded rapidly. Periods in Gainesville and New Orleans led back to Florida, where he performed for just over a year in the duo Booker & Norton alongside drummer Max Norton before signing with ATO Records. He shifted to solo work yet kept Norton as his chief collaborator, enlisting Andrija Tokic of Alabama Shakes to produce the first album. The self-titled Benjamin Booker appeared in August 2014, months after recording, and drew strong critical praise.
Early in 2015 Jack White’s label both hosted and issued the concert album Live at Third Man Records. Seeking fresh perspectives for songwriting, Booker lived in Mexico City beginning in early 2016 and composed much of the subsequent ATO release there. The work opened with “Witness,” his collaboration with Mavis Staples responding to racist acts of violence. The album Witness followed in mid-2017. After touring ended he stayed largely out of sight until releasing “Black Disco” in 2020, with proceeds going to the Southern Poverty Law Center. He also appeared on a 2023 track by Billy Woods and hip-hop producer Kenny Segal. Segal later co-produced the gritty third album Lower, issued in early 2025.
Albums
Singles
