Ben Reel Plays the Alternative Sunday Social Club in The Wild Duck

Ben Reel will release his 11th studio album, Come a Long Way, in June 2023 which will consist of 11 brand new self-penned songs. This follows 2 recent releases, Live @JJ Smyths Dublin (2021) and Locked In & Live (2022), a double album which was a mixture of live songs and studio tracks recorded during the pandemic lockdown. Since his debut album, This Is the Movie, back in 1999 Ben has reinvented himself from album to album, influenced by different styles of music over the years. In a solo career which now spans over 20 years, Ben has received worldwide critical acclaim with numerous high-profile TV and Radio appearances including BBC, RTE and Dutch NPO Radio.

Supporting the likes of Jools Holland and The Cranberries and he has collaborated musically with such names as Hal Ketchum & The Blockheads. He has co-written and performed live with his fellow countryman Tony McLoughlin and some of Nashville’s finest such as David Olney, Nanci Griffiths & Irene Kelley. The Nashville Calling was the title of his 9th studio album which was released in March 2020, and it was produced by Will Kimbrough and Tommy Womack and featured Garry W Tallent on bass from the legendary E Street Band. Recorded in Nashville this was a dream come through for Ben and the album went to No.1 in the Euro Americana charts as voted by respected DJs and critics all over Europe.

In the past Ben was selected to play an official showcase at Folk Alliance in Memphis and has toured as double bill with Tommy Womack (Nashville) in the U.S. and the UK and also with legendary American folk singer / songwriter Eric Andersen in the UK and the Netherlands. While in Nashville he was invited to play the famous Bluebird Cafe on a number of occasions. He has graced big festivals such as Jamming@Hippie Jacks (USA), Musiktan festival in Bilbao (Spain) Haarlem Jazz & Huntenpop (Netherlands), Robin Hood Folk Festival (UK), Kilkenny Rhythm & Roots, Cork Jazz Festival and the Electric Picnic. Ben has built a loyal fan base in various countries around the world and continues to be one of the hardest working troubadours today.