Born in Austin, Texas, Ben Palmer has been playing guitar and bass for some 30 years. He's performed around the United States and Europe with his own bands and with other talented musicians.

He now lives in Durham, NC. He is known in the Triangle area for his live performances and for helping students progress rapidly in private guitar and bass lessons. Ben enjoys teaching his students songs they enjoy listening to and in the process, help them understand the way music works. 

Ben Palmer Music is expanding. Lessons on all popular instruments are now offered, including piano, voice, horns, strings, mandolin, banjo and ukulele. Special new teacher, Nelson Delgado is an authentic latin percussionist with Orchestra Gar Del among others. Our staff of highly qualified teachers can help you reach your goals in music, with emphasis on enjoyment. Fill out the contact page to get started.

Ben plays bass, both upright and electric, with a variety of ensembles in a broad range of styles, including straight-ahead jazz, blues, R+B, rock, funk, Latin, theater, singer/songwriter, and bluegrass. He has recorded more than 20 CDs. He has been spotted playing drums and frequently  guitar recently. Ben has served as MC many times at the Eno Festival and periodically does voice-over work, most recently for Research Triangle Institute.

He currently plays guitar with saxophonist and vocalist Tim Smith in the Journeys house band sundays. He plays guitar or bass in the Tim Smith Band. He's often on the bandstand with guitarist Drew Lile, pianist Chris Reynolds, Dave and Lola Youngman, Guillo Carrias. to name a few. His newest group is an organ trio with Doug Largent and Todd Proctor. He usually runs out of fingers counting the bands he has gigs with. Ben is also always up for new projects as well. "the variety of my gigs keeps the interest fresh...keeps me on my toes"

Ben has played almost every night club, country club, swing dance, bar, hotel, recording studio and festival in the Triangle. He has played with Scott Sawyer, Ed Paolintonio, Gary Brunotte, Elmer Gibson, Robert Griffin, New York based drummers Wes Little and Rodney Howard, Mel Melton and the Wicked Mojos, Robert Moore, Roy Roberts, Armand Lencheck, Will McFarlane, Lightnin' Wells, Deborah Coleman, and David Dyer, to name a few.(more complete list below) Ben has giged several times with Blue Lou Marini of Blues Brothers fame.

Ben played the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland every year between 2000 and 2004. There, he hosted and attended jam sessions with local and international musicians and performed on stage with Peter Cincotti. George Benson. Jon Anderson of Yes sat in on an impromptu street jam session. Many other main stage musicians sat in on Ben's street performing.

Ben's goals include performing at music festivals, domestic and foreign, as well as local concerts and private functions. He is currently seeking new students interested in jazz on the upright bass. He plans to continue teaching guitar at his studio until it isn't the most popular instrument anymore-- which will never happen.

Besides music, Ben has a decidedly green perspective. He uses compact fluorescent bulbs in every socket and brags about his $20 electric bill. He drives a Benz 300CD on SVO. Ben is an avid gardener and urges people to shop (and eat) locally. Look for the new coop Durham Central Market soon. You will be offered fresh tomatoes if you see Ben over the summer. As the smallest possible company, one person, Ben is walking the walk against globalization.

Some people I've played with, in no particular order:
Greg Gelb, Kathy Gelb, Gabe Evans, Rodney Marsh, Joe Izzo, Alvin Atkinson, Chip Crawford and Eve Cornelius, Ray Codrington, Drew Lile, Grant Osborne, Todd Proctor, Chuck Leonard, Thomas Taylor, Bill Fox, Paul Tartif, Ed Thigpen, Brian Horton, Brother Yusef, Ira Wiggins, Steve Hobbes,  Bus Brown, Frankie Alexander, Rebecca and Bill Newton,  Robert Griffin, John Worthington, Clay Buckner, Rah Bickley, Alexis Cole, Janet Clark, Janet Stolp, Mike Bisdee, Keith Henderson, Susan Reeves, Tim Duffy, Cool John Ferguson, The Terry Wiley Band, The Castaways, Ed Butler, Dan Davis, Triple Fret, Chris Frank, George Hindenach, Sam Bruton, Wes Little, Rodney Howard, Kevin VanSant, Jonathan Byrd, Jim Crew, Carter Minor, Mark Wells,  Wayne Key, Bill Baucom, Big Rick, Frank Corbi, Tony Bowman, Martin Eagle, Tony Wrenn, Carlton Miles, Jeff Crouse, Brevin Hampden, Ivan, Hampden, Iajhi Hampden Brian Hampden, Brenda Hapmden (I think thats the whole family), Al Strong, Gary Brunotte, The UNCGreensboro Orchestra and Big Band, The Duke University Orchestra, Raleigh Jazz Orchestra, and The Raleigh Symphony.

He has played every Location of The Cats Cradle, Centerfest, The Durham Blues Festival, Apple Chill, Festifall, The Montreux Jazz Festival, Artsplosure, The Fort Fisher Seafood and Jazz Festival, Hillsboro  Hog Day, Festival for the Eno, Greensboro Street Scene (that's all I could think of)

The Coasters,  Jimmy Heath, Guitar Gabriel, Nappy Brown, Blue Lou Marini, Peter Cincotti, George Benson, Joe Chambers

Ben has hosted jam sessions at The Cave, Seventh Street, The Blue Bayou, The Bread and Board, The Lounge, Francesca's, Ooh La Latte,  Siren's Lounge, The Beyu Caffe and now the Blue Note Grill.

Ben taught guitar and bass at the Music Loft from 1989 to 2007.