Ben Kyle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ben Kyle
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Ben Kyle in 2008
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| Background information | |
| Born | 21 May 1981 (age 44) Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Origin | Gilnahirk, Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Genres | Americana, folk, rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer-songwriter, producer |
| Instruments | Guitar, piano, vocals, harmonica, percussion |
| Years active | 2002– Present |
| Associated acts | Romantica |
Ben Kyle (born May 21, 1981) is a talented singer, songwriter, and musician. He plays many instruments! He is most famous as the lead singer and songwriter for the band Romantica. This band plays a type of music called Americana. People often say Ben's singing style sounds like other famous singers such as Tom Odell and Ryan Adams.
Contents
Early Life
Ben Kyle was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. When he was 13 years old, his family moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the United States. Ben grew up in a family that loved music. He showed a strong interest in music from a very young age.
Music Career
Starting Out: 2002–2009
In 2002, Ben Kyle started a band called Romantica. This band plays a style of music called alternative country, but with an Irish touch. Romantica is based in Minneapolis. They have become quite popular in the United States.
Romantica released their first album, It's Your Weakness That I Want, in 2004. It mixed Irish rock with Americana music. Their second album, America, helped the band become even more well-known. Ben's lyrics and poetic way of writing songs received a lot of praise. Paste magazine even put America on its list of the Top 100 Albums of 2007. Ben won several awards for his songwriting on the America album in 2007. In 2009, Romantica released Control Alt Country Delete. This album was special because it was written and recorded in just one day in Austin, Texas.
Solo Work and Tours: 2010–Present
After Romantica's third album, Ben Kyle went on a tour in Europe in 2010. He toured with another musician named Carrie Rodriguez. They performed in countries like the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Ben and Carrie also recorded an album together called We Still Love Our Country. This album had two new songs. Ben wrote Your Lonely Heart, and he co-wrote Fire Alarm with Carrie. The other six songs on the album were covers of classic country songs. Both their tour and the album were very popular in Europe.
In 2012, Ben Kyle began his solo music career. He released an album simply called Ben Kyle. The songs on this album were very personal to him. Ben explained that while his Romantica songs were personal, this solo collection was "very autobiographical." This means the songs were about his own life experiences. In 2013, Ben was busy working on new music. He was producing and arranging songs for others. He was also planning more albums for Romantica and for his solo career.
Working with Other Artists
Besides his work with Romantica and Carrie Rodriguez, Ben Kyle has also worked with many other famous musicians. Some of these artists include Ryan Adams, Alejandro Escovedo, Lucinda Williams, Sara Watkins, and Dan Wilson.
Music Albums
Romantica Albums
- 2004: Its Your Weakness That I Want
- 2007: America
- 2009: Control Alt Country Delete
- 2016: Shadowlands
- 2018: Outlaws
Collaboration Albums
- 2011: We Still Love Our Country (with Carrie Rodriguez)
Solo Albums
- 2012: Ben Kyle
- 2015: MASSA
- 2015: MASSA Deux
