Welcome
Welcome to the website of Ben R. Atkinson. Ben is a writer, musician, and presenter known for his radio programme, Ben’s Country Music Show, which is broadcast on stations around the world. In addition, Ben has written two novels, released an album and EP of original music, worked extensively in the media industry and Higher Education in the UK, and is currently studying for his PhD in Music at the University of Lincoln, UK.
As a presenter, Ben is a familiar voice on independent radio across the UK and internationally, having hosted his syndicated radio programme, Ben’s Country Music Show, since 2008; the show now being broadcast on stations in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and the US. Ben trained at the University of Lincoln, graduating with a First Class BA(Hons) in Media Production and an MA in Digital Media. He then went on to be part of the prestigious BBC Production Talent Pool class of 2014, where he honed his craft with placements at BBC Local Radio and the World Service.
Ben’s love of music emerged at an early age, and he was encouraged to pick up the guitar by his primary school music teacher. Since then, he has discovered that music runs in the family, with a piano teacher, two Opera House orchestra musicians, and an armed forces band member in his family tree. Ben has a passion for American roots music, including country, blues, and Americana and plays the guitar and mandolin. In 2020, during the lockdown, Ben recorded and produced his debut album, Cold Hard Shoulder, which consists of songs written over the past decade as well as new music composed specifically for the project. A live EP followed to mark Ben’s 30th birthday, and a second album is in the works with a release planned for later in 2022.
As a writer, Ben has written two novels which were both published independently. The Kraken’s Curse (2008) is a YA story of fantasy and intrigue set on the beautiful Devon coast while Walking on Cinders (2010) is a dystopian tale of a bitter global conflict and those who are fighting in the closing days of war in London and France. Walking on Cinders is notable as being one of the first novels by a British author to be promoted widely on social media, selling 1000 copies as part of the ‘1000 Books to Sell Project’ in 2010/11. Ben continues to work on a third novel.
In March 2020, Ben combined all his interests together to embark on a new challenge, a PhD study in Music. Ben’s study will see him observing female country performers and establishing the extent to which social and technological changes since the new millennium have afforded such performers the opportunity to circumnavigate traditional gatekeepers.
