Ridley Bent is an entertainer, a crooner, a gee-tar player and a songwriter with a knack for detail. He's hell on wheels with a microphone whether he's fronting a band or on stage all by his lonesome. He has mastered the art of telling a story. Love and betrayal, cowboy songs, songs of hope and glory, tales of the old west and pop culture, this is Ridley's addiction.
Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Ridley Bent spent his youth as an army brat traversing across the vast expanses of Canada. He listened to his Pa play Johnny Cash and Hank Williams on his beat-up old guitar. At the time, he never did dig that old country and western. He preferred rock and pop but those old tunes must have sunk into his subconscious because that southern twang is evident in his songs.
He first picked up a guitar in Whistler BC when he came to the realization that a career as a professional skier was out of his reach. Against his loving mother's better judgment he decided to pursue a career in music. He figured if he told good stories, he'd probably do just fine. In the summer of 2000 he moved to Vancouver's East Side and started hitting the open mics and playing on the beach every night. He became an entertainer in his own right, and a security guard on the side.
Ridley has just completed a new album of material titled Buckles and Boots. He hooked up with Vancouver musician John Ellis, who saddled up as Bent's producer. These fellows have been mining for gold and what they've created reveals a rich vein of western swing and wicked word play.
With each passing day Ridley continues to expand his wily and crafty chops as a performer. Whether he's turning heads with a full band or going solo & intimate leaving folks with the warm fuzzies at a backyard hootenanny, Ridley Bent has established himself as a true force to be reckoned with. Check it out.
