Ben Brandt is no stranger to the stage — or to reinvention. The award-winning Nashville guitarist-singer-songwriter has spent years exploring the sweet spot where indie meets the grit of blues rock. With his debut solo album Solid Ground, Brandt has distilled that sound into its purest form yet — and in the process, found something deeply personal.
Solid Ground is Brandt’s most explicit musical statement to date, a record that channels the free-spirited energy of 1970s rock while speaking to the anxieties of modern life. Across 11 tracks, he navigates love, loss, resilience, and the daily fight to find balance, pairing them with inspired guitar work and hooks that linger long after the final chord.
“I had more creative control over the direction of this album and could finally capture my own vision, since all the ideas were mine,” Brandt says. “It’s my sound done my way — not chasing trends.” He calls the album “rock-based with touches of blues and prog — somewhere between Queens of the Stone Age and Robin Trower — but filtered through my own lens.”
The album was recorded live at Nashville’s Greasy Time Studio, helmed by producer J.D. Simo (Bruce Springsteen, Jack White, Phil Lesh). Alongside Brandt (lead vocals, lead guitar), the sessions featured Simo on rhythm guitar and backing vocals, bassist Ted Pecchio, and drummer Adam Abrashoff. Vintage gear and a no-frills, organic approach gave the record its warmth and immediacy — the feeling of a band locked in and chasing a moment together.
“It’s about clawing for a sense of balance in life and in a music industry that can feel like it’s working against you,” Brandt says of the album’s title. That fight for equilibrium is felt everywhere on the record — from the title track’s tense guitar lines and steady backbeat to the airy, Tom Petty-esque optimism of second single “Little Something,” a love letter to life’s small moments.
The album opens with “Solid Ground,” where Brandt’s weathered vocals and tense guitar lines tell the story of building a foundation — steady work, a stable home — in a turbulent world. “Little Something” channels Tom Petty’s classic-rock warmth, celebrating the joy of being present and appreciating life’s small moments. “Fine Line” is a funk-driven, head-bobbing highlight with soaring backing vocals, exploring the razor’s edge between choices and consequences. “It’s about how one decision can change the entire trajectory of your life — every choice is a step on that tightrope,” Brandt notes. “Parasite Blues” dives into his grittier, psych-rock side, a swirling blend of sepia-toned riffs and wailing leads that evoke Queens of the Stone Age, Jeff Beck, and Creem.
Ben’s journey began at a young age, far from Nashville, alongside his father and support from New Jersey’s rock radio station WDHA, opening shows for blues legends Savoy brown with Kim Simmons and Billy hector, as well as Jimmy Thackery. He later moved to Central Pennsylvania, where he toured regionally with his band, Soul Miners Union, supporting acts like Blackberry Smoke and Shemekia Copeland, as well as joining Joe Bonamassa on stage at the Hershey Theatre, where the Central Pennsylvania Musicians Hall of Fame awarded Ben Blues Rock Artist of 2024.
Known for his soulful tone, tasteful phrasing, and emotional authenticity, Brandt has long felt on the cusp of a wider audience. With Solid Ground, he’s ready for that leap. The album is both a culmination of years spent refining his craft and the start of something new — a confident step forward from an artist who’s finally found his footing.
