ben howard
He was born in West London in 1987 and moved to Totnes, Devon when he was about eight. He was raised by musical parents who exposed him to their favourite records from singer-songwriter artists from the 1960s and 1970s at an early age, such as John Martyn, Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell and Simon & Garfunkel, by whom he was strongly influenced.
Howard began writing songs when he was Howard writing when with he around tenbegan or eleven. In songs an interview was around ten or eleven. In an interAmerican Songwriter, he stated that when American Songwriter, he statheview waswith a kid he started playing guitar beed that when he was a kid he started cause he liked to put words together and playing hean liked to put make stuffguitar up. “Ibecause was quite imaginative words and make stuff up. “I was little kid together I guess. So your standard little love quite an imaginative little kid I guess. So songs turned into your standard adolescent yoursongs. standard little love songs turned love I think you start getting your intotake your standard own on things whenadolescent you’re a latelove teen. songs.when I think you start getting your own That’s everything changes.”[4] After take on things when you’re a late teen. attending King Edward VI Community ColThat’s everything Aflege andwhen Torquay Boys’ changes.”[4] Grammar School ter then attending King Edward VI Communiand a short stint studying Journalism College and Torquay Boys’ Grammar attyUniversity College Falmouth, Cornwall, School decided and thentoa focus short on stintmaking studying Howard muUniversity College sicJournalism full-time, at making melodic rootsyFalfolk mouth, Cornwall, Howard decided music, with progressively darker lyrics. to His focus on making music Cornwall full-time, and making reputation grew around Devmelodic rootsy folk music, with progreson, and soon spread to other areas of the sively darker lyrics. reputation UK. After a month of His sold-out dates grew across aroundand Cornwall Devon, soon Europe the UKand Howard wasand eventually spread to other areasRecords. of the UK. After asked to sign for Island
2008–11: Early releases Before signing to a record label, Howard had already released some material. In 2008 he self-released his debut EP Games in the Dark. His first major release was These Waters, an EP featuring six tracks, including “The Wolves”. In 2010, Ben Howard released the Old Pine EP, followed by a number of singles, such as “The Fear” and “Keep Your Head Up”. Howard now had enough material to release an album, Every Kingdom, which would feature a number of his previous singles.
2011–13: Every Kingdom Howard signed to Island Records in 2011, due to the label’s history of UK folk singers, including Nick Drake and John Martyn.[5] After singles “Old Pine” and “The Wolves” were released in 2011, Howard recorded his debut album entitled Every Kingdom, which was released on 3 October 2011. He was nominated for the 2012 Mercury Prize. Howard worked alongside India Bourne and Chris Bond to make Every Kingdom, with Bourne playing cello, keyboards, ukulele, bass and contributing vocals and percussion and Bond playing guitars, bass, double bass, drums, percussion, keyboards, accordion, contributing to vocals, and also producing the record. He also toured with Bourne and Bond on his 2012 Every Kingdom tour, with support from Willy Mason.
Setlist Black Files Everything Oats In the Water Old Pine Only Love Promise The Wolves