Sweetwater's resident drum expert Nick D'Virgilio interviews Heart's drummer Ben Smith. Ben talks about how he started playing with Heart, techniques he uses, his on-stage kit, Ben Smith Music Company, and much more!
(Read Full Article by Something Else) Since the 1975 release of their debut LP Steamboat Annie, Heart has forged their own path in rock history. Founders Ann and Nancy Wilson shattered gender stereotypes with their hard-charging style, earning the respect of the then male-dominated world of hard rock. More than 40 years later, they look back [...]
Today I had the opportunity to see lots of old friends from the road. The touring electricians and lighting people, the audio team, our backline techs, production and tour managers, musicians, truck and bus drivers, and local production and stage people here in Detroit. Our Rock Hall Free For All tour with Heart, Joan Jett [...]
Musicians love to perform. For us, trading musical energy between the musicians sharing it with the crowd is how we express so many of our emotions. Anytime I have the opportunity to play a show, whether is a big place to play with Heart, or a smaller one, I'm so grateful to get to fill my heart with [...]
Our next foray into TAWT shows is coming right up, with an Arizona/California run that will be a blast! For me, the big take-away of playing with The Ann Wilson Thing is not only the opportunity to perform with Ann Wilson, a world-class vocal artist fronting the band and making it all happen, but also how fun [...]
The Ann Wilson Thing Seattle Showbox 2015 Photo by Anna Knowlden Friel Maybe you've wondered if rock stars ever tire of playing the same songs thousands of times over. In a recent article for Rolling Stone magazine Beach Boy Mike Love estimated that he'd sung "Fun, Fun, Fun" close to 6,000 times. One [...]
The Ann Wilson Thing has announced the First Leg of their 2016 kicking off March 26 at the Whitaker Center for the Arts in Harrisburg, PA. Click Here to see full calendar
Tonight I have the good fortune to play music with three singer/musicians who are some of the bestest ever!! Join us for a live stream of The Ann Wilson Thing show at City Winery, our regularly scheduled program will be augmented by Alison Krauss and Emmy Lou Harris. Some surprise songs and hilarity await! It's [...]
Touching down in Connecticut today to begin the East Coast leg of The Ann Wilson Thing Tour. All shows are sold out but you can see a preview here...