The Addiction

My first opportunity to meet and hear J.J. Benson came several months ago in June during one of the writer's night showcases at Nashville's Bluebird Cafe. I went there to meet friend and fellow songwriter/performer Harriet Schock who was in town for just a few days. As fate would have it, I was a little late, missed her, and decided to stay to take in some of the sets.

Most were interesting, but none matched the excellence and quality of the duo, J.J. Benson and Steven Maldonado, showcasing songs written by Benson. I've since become a real fan of his and have become convinced that the name "J.J. Benson" is destined to become, if not a household word, at least one that probably should be heard in the same breath as Diane Warren, Harlan Howard and a few other greats.

While many know his band, The Groove Addiction, last year's house band for the Nashville Predators, through their frequent appearances at other popular local hangouts such as the Exit/In and 3rd and Lindsleys, Benson is only on the threshold of opportunity in his career. His songwriting skills have yet to be recognized by a major act, perhaps because he writes in a genre given scant recognition in a town largely devoted to Country music, but there's no doubt that it won't be long.

Interestingly, J.J. and his band are evidence that there is a lot more going on in Nashville besides Country. The Groove Addiction has in fact managed to establish a serious following in a town that has become quite jaded by the thousands of wannabe acts that parade through Music City looking for a shot at glamour and stardom. GA's recognition is largely due to both the talents of J.J. Benson and lead singer Maldonado, who has co-written many of the the songs on their playlist. The two form a combination that unites Benson's sensitivity with Maldonado's hip swinging wide-open feel for funk. While Benson tends to be calculating and deliberate in his work, Maldonado brings spontaneity and freedom to the tempo and rhythm as well as his own unique character.

"Steven," J.J. told me, "is the wild, crazy California guy with eclectic, off-the-wall but often great ideas that would never really work without being polished a bit. I'm generally the conservative, responsible guy who writes with melody, hook and tried-and-true pop convention firmly entrenched in my subconscious, and it shows in my approach to writing. It has proven to be a great writing chemistry, because he causes me to break the rules a bit when necessary and color outside the lines, which often results in much more daring and innovative work than I would have created alone. And I reign him in when he needs it and give his raw ideas the hook and sense of melodic and lyrical commercialism that they usually need."

Personable and charming, with a perceptiveness that makes conversation with him a real delight, J.J. started out, according to his official biographical sketch, his musical career "as a drummer, but switched to piano in college, when he realized that the girls were more responsive to love songs written and performed on the piano than the drumset."

Originally from Bloomington, Illinois, J.J. won the national Billboard songwriting contest, wrote the theme song to the annual music production "The Sounds of Christmas" hosted by State Farm Insurance, and played in a variety of bands including the Illinois State University jazz choir before moving to Nashville in 1992. Although his career with The Groove Addiction had made excellent progress in linking its name to a national hockey franchise, "we were a cover band," Benson said. "We were making really good money but we weren't playing any of our own material. It was really frustrating because we had a lot of labels come and talk to us, and we didn't have anything to show them."

It was at that point that he realized that he and everyone else in the group had to "take a step back," get day gigs, and go to work on developing original material. The decision was a tough one, and the road since has had a few ruts, but those in the group who have stuck with it are seriously committed to seeing things through. The group's guitarist, Kurt Allison, has seen his career take off independently and has been doing session work for a number of major acts in L.A. and New York, including artist Jewel. The group's drummer has also gone on worldwide tour with Keith Sweat and the Bobby Jones gospel group.

In a sense, Benson straddles two different horses that seem to be headed in a parallel direction but may not be in the long run. His talents as a songwriter seem to bend more toward romantic pop/jazz ballads rather than toward the R & B vein that is frequently the genre of choice for the band. His collaborations with Maldonado seem to form a bridge that fuses the two together, but opportunity could ultimately entice him to make a plunge toward pop where his best talents seem to rest. His fierce loyalty to The Groove Addiction, however, would suggest that some tough compromises will have to be made in order for both horses to continue carrying their gifted rider.

One of his tunes, a magnificent song currently on a demo he makes available, and a song I also heard performed that night at the Bluebird, is "All That I Have To Give." Maldonado performed it vocally at the Bluebird and does so as well on the demo, and does an excellent job. With the right label and backing, the song could prove to be a really great single release for him as well.

Promoted elsewhere in Nashville, the tune should only be in the hands of someone who has the vocal versatility, sensitivity, and marketability of a major act because it is guaranteed to be an all-time greatest hit.

At 31, Benson has been working at his craft for quite some time. "I decided when I was seventeen years old that I wanted to be a songwriter. I changed my major a couple of times back and forth between journalism and music. I knew I wanted to be a writer. I knew I wanted the creative side. But there was a defining moment when I realized that this is what I'm supposed to do with my life."

Benson, like many others who take their art seriously, has adopted the view that there are many other rewards besides a pecuniary one. "Making music for me," he said, "has never been about the money. It's not like I'm doing this because I want to be famous or want a lot of cash. There's a lot of artists that have a small cult following and I dig what they do; they've got industry respect, the respect of their peers. They work with good musicians and there are people out there who are moved by what they do. They'll never be big huge stars, and not many people know who they are, but there are a handful of artists like that that I really like. If I could model that kind of career, I'd be thrilled. I don't need huge success. What I really want is the ability to do what I love to do for a living."

No doubt he will.