| May 8, 2010 | ||
| 7:15 pm | to | 10:15 pm |
Ben Wytinck, Saturday, May 8, Live @ the Folk Exchange.
Concert starts at 8:00 p.m., doors open at 7:15. Tickets $8 in advance at the Winnipeg Folk Festival Music Store, $10 at the door.
The year was 1990. Ben Wytinck stepped into his first bar - a small town juke joint in Southern Manitoba, Canada. The fact he was 9 yrs. old wasn’t what made him nervous. It was his first show, the first time he would play drums in his father’s band. The night went well considering there were a couple minor scuffles in the audience. Nothing like what Jeff Healey had to deal with in Swayze’s “Road House”. In time Ben became used to the fights, the odor, and the odd crouch behind his 24″ kick drum whenever the cops arrived. He was living his dream. Well, part of it. Though he loved playing the cover songs he and his father performed together, he still yearned to write his own music.
At age 20, Ben moved to Manitoba’s capital, Winnipeg. He acquired a right handed guitar from his late Uncle Roland and re-stringed it to meet his left handed needs. Finally, he could begin to write his own music. In the Fall of 2003, Ben wrote “Brag-able Ego”, one of his first songs and the oldest song on his self titled album. He continued to write over 30 songs throughout the years and only until now, has put 10 of what he thinks are the best on his first album simply titled, “Ben Wytinck”.
Son of a farmer, Ben learned to do things himself, his own way. Only when someone sits down with the album and absorbs it as a whole do they truly understand the term, “Labor of Love”. Ben wrote, composed, and produced the album all himself with help from some of Manitoba’s top musicians. He also created the art/design and packaging for the album. Still to this day, as you read this, he is assembling the CD cases (with a little help from his friends). Not only is his album a great listening experience, it is one the listener cannot help recognize as a piece of hard work, patiently done well - a rarity in today’s fast paced world.