Ben Stalets: Your friend from Toledo

This Friday, April 25, ArtRat Gallery and The Stableford Agency are staying up late to bring you Americana Special! An Evening with Ben Stalets.The show runs 7-10pm at 46 Division Ave. S in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids. (Admission $25; tickets available from Eventbrite.)

"To experience Ben Stalets live is the very essence of Americana and an opportunity that shouldn't be missed." — Press Room Recordings

Ben Stalets is not a songwriter; he’s a song. Realizing he couldn’t wash the Toledo off, Ben leaned into it, inspired by the blue-collar underdogs and antiheroes the Rust Belt surrounds you with. Talking to Ben is talking to an old friend, and that’s exactly how his songs are written and shows performed. As comfortable in a bar room as he is in a listening room, by the third verse of the first song, Stalets will have the room quiet enough to hear someone clutching their pearls, just before the refrain gives permission to laugh again.

Ahead of the show, ArtRat checked in with Ben about his process, his progress and the mysteries of Toledo. 

You’re getting ready to release Lucky Dog, "a collection of songs based on people [you’ve] known or been.” When writing songs, do you usually lead with the subject and let the lyrics and music flow from there?

When I started writing songs, I always thought I was supposed to kind of go with the flow. Whatever came to my mind first in a mess of words was what I was meant to write. I think I was wrong and lazy for that. These days I won’t bother to sit down and write unless I have a subject … probably a title. In my opinion, everything good I’ve done has been done with intention.

You’ve talked about jumping into music at age 20. Was your hometown of Toledo a good place to land for a young musician? 

Toledo is an incredible place to find inspiration! It’s a great place for a cover musician, and an incredibly affordable place for an artist. We also have this very helpful non-profit called The Arts Commission, and they give out grants to artists that are trying to make it with their art, in Toledo. 

I wouldn’t say Toledo is an inherently good place for songwriter community-wise, but I recognize that I can do something about that, and I’m trying to be a better steward.

Which songwriters first inspired you, and which did you discover after you started creating music yourself? 

Before I placed music or wrote, Neil Young and Bob Dylan were the first songwriters who spoke to me. But, when I actually picked up a guitar I wanted to fingerpick like Townes Van Zandt. I wanted to perform like Justin Townes Earle. 

Currently, I find inspiration in so many contemporary and past musicians that it’s hard to keep track of, but I have to be really cognizant of the fact that if I’m not careful, I can end up trying to sound like them. I’ve worked really hard at finding my own voice and I never want to lose it. Haha … I guess as a songwriter, you could say I get really into my head about things. 

Based on your experiences here, how distinct are the roots scenes in West Michigan and northern Ohio? 

That’s a great question. I’ve been coming to Grand Rapids and surrounding cities for almost 10 years, and I’ve been playing Northern Ohio longer than that. As a traveling musician I’d say I do not have my finger on the pulse of what a scene is like. I’m always coming or going, I’m never staying. I know there’s good radio stations, great venues and the best people. 

I’ve most often played Mulligan’s, and Devilyn has been very kind to me there. (So kind as to let me know when the cops showed up looking for me, and then continued to book me again a few months later. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is!) 

That’s kind of a metaphor for what I like best about the music scene. Neither the promoter, the booking agent nor the artist are making much money out of this deal. We’re in the trenches together. An outsider might never understand why we’d even bother. But the relationship between us all is something more than business. 

What do you like most about playing in Grand Rapids? 

I like Grand Rapids because I like medium-size cities. That’s how I’d describe Toledo, my home. I understand them better. I like the food, the community — everyone knows where everything is. My old lady is sober, so one time we were here a server recommended us checking out the Kava bar. It’s thoughtful little interactions like that that make Grand Rapids great. 

I’d say, confidently, the best thing is the people. Throughout the years I’ve had some really great people show up to my shows to listen. Anytime even 1 person shows up to listen, I feel like a million bucks. Thanks in advance to anyone who takes a chance on me, and thanks again for everyone who’s already done so. 

What can people expect at Friday’s show that they might not’ve gotten at your shows in the past?

In the last few years I’ve brought it all back home with the folk tradition of telling stories and story songs. No mysticism to be found.

I have two goals when performing, to either make the audience laugh or cry. In that way, it hardly feels like I’m an artist. Maybe a con artist. "Artist” feels more highbrow than what I do. 

My favorite compliments after a show are things like, “I know a guy just like that” or, “It feels like you grew up with me.” I’d like to be looked at more like a friend who also sings.