Ben Sands profile picture

Ben Sands

We all need a hug ...

About Me

================================================ ......... ALL BEN TRACKS NOW AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD FROM iTUNES.CO.UK ================================================..... Ben Sands lives in Newry, County Down, close to the mountains and the sea and not far from the small farm where he and his six siblings grew up in the 1950s and 1960s. He sings songs - mostly his own. He writes songs - about life and love and the ways of the world. Some are whimsical, some are sad and some are very humorous indeed. He plays quite a few instruments as well - guitar, banjo, mandolin, whistles, keyboards, and fiddle - he has even been known to wrestle a tune from the uilleann pipes. Ben has been touring and recording with his sister Anne and brothers Tommy and Colum since the late 1960s. “The Sands Family” have recorded over twenty albums to date; made countless television appearances; performed extensively in Ireland, UK, Europe, Canada and USA (including Carnegie Hall); shared microphones with such “folk luminaries” as Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Tom Paxton, Harry Belafonte and Arlo Guthrie …. These days the members of the “Family” still greatly enjoy getting together for special tours and festival appearances but are more likely to be found scattered far and wide, pursuing very successful solo careers. Like brothers Tommy and Colum, Ben has taken to the song writing with a natural ease and his songs are finding their way into many repertoires and recording studios.Homepage: www.bensands.com E-mail: [email protected]“BETTER ALREADY” (Spring Records SCD 1050)“…. Ben’s third solo album features eleven self-composed tracks, nine songs and two instrumentals. Producer/guitarist Johnny Scott (ex-Van Morrison) manages to broaden the appeal of Ben’s folksy lyrics and melodies with some sparkling arrangements and the support of an exceptional team of musicians ……..”Belfast Telegraph


My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 3/3/2006
Band Website: bensands.com
Band Members: Ben Sands
Influences: Irish traditional music, songs and stories, my parents and family, Pete Seeger, Clancy Brothers, Tommy Makem, Ian Campbell, Bob Dylan, Peter, Paul & Mary, Bothy Band, Planxty, Tom Paxton, Gordon Lightfoot, John Denver, Leonard Cohen, Iain MacKintosh, Hamish Imlach, Sean McGuire, Joe Burke, Beatles, Paul Simon, John Gorka ....
Record Label: Spring Records
Type of Label: None

My Blog

End of Summer

Hello again from Ben in Ireland.....   Well, summer is over, September is here and I hope you are all fit and healthy and happy  and ready to look ahead to the autumn and winter! .. .. ...
Posted by Ben Sands on Thu, 04 Sep 2008 06:39:00 PST

Spring is here .... I think ...

... slowly, very slowly, Spring seems to be arriving in Ireland. Mind you it is taking its time: a couple of false starts already and no guarantee that the fresh, sunny weather of the last few days i...
Posted by Ben Sands on Wed, 26 Mar 2008 05:29:00 PST

Hugs and Bubbles

Hello again.Life has certainly got a lot more hectic - in a good way - since the launch on TV's X-Factor of the soap commercial featuring my "Hug" song (from the CD "Better Already").  Cinema cov...
Posted by Ben Sands on Sat, 01 Dec 2007 09:29:00 PST

Autumn ....

Hello again and many greetings from Ireland, as October hunches its shoulders against the autumn chill. Just got back from ten days in Germany - some really memorable gigs and as always the great supp...
Posted by Ben Sands on Tue, 02 Oct 2007 11:52:00 PST

September

My goodness!! September already - I'm really not good at this blogging thing.  Must manage my time better and stop trying to do 50 things at once, 49 is more than enough. Had a great Summer, musi...
Posted by Ben Sands on Sun, 09 Sep 2007 03:45:00 PST

Middle of August

And immediately after the end of June comes the middle of August. Last time I spoke here was during the run-up to niece Sorcha's wedding to young Steve. And what a day or three that turned out to be...
Posted by Ben Sands on Tue, 07 Aug 2007 02:32:00 PST

Wedding Daze

Slowly recovering from last night's party which was held to remember the enormous success of my niece's wedding party on Saturday .... because the wedding party was such a success, not ...
Posted by Ben Sands on Mon, 02 Jul 2007 10:06:00 PST

End of June

Can't believe it's the end of June!  Half of the year gone and Christmas just over - at least so it seems to me.  Still buzzing with last Sunday's meeting with Archbishop Desmond T...
Posted by Ben Sands on Fri, 29 Jun 2007 05:57:00 PST

Is this a good idea?

Is this a good idea, I wonder? - to start writing a Blog, I mean.  I'm in two minds, which is two more than usual, but I think I will give it a try - what else would you be doing at the edge...
Posted by Ben Sands on Mon, 25 Jun 2007 03:48:00 PST

Moved House

BEN SANDS MOVED HOUSE TO www.myspace.com/bensands77
Posted by Ben Sands on Thu, 23 Mar 2006 02:23:00 PST