Benita Johnson’s first album ”You Should Know” is NOW available to order from this site. Just go to the “Store” page and select either download or hardcopy then follow the instructions. Note: An example track “Devotion” can be heard on Benita’s Myspace page.

“it’s not folk and it’s not rock or pop, it’s Benita Johnson doing her thing and it’s beautiful. . .” Martin Carter, PennyBlackMusic

“a terrific piece of work!” Phil Widdows, Folkcast Radio   

The album features the combined talents of friends and local artists including Ben Waller on banjo, Beth and Hannah Porter on strings, Sally Wyatt (The Funkinsteins) on guitar and bass, Claire Cooper (Goldfish Don’t Bounce) on backing vocals and last but by no means least Nick Atkins and Dave Colebrook (Wonderfully Courteous Gentlemen) on bass, guitar, keys, drums and percussion… oh, and those two recorded and mixed it too!   

Arguably this has been a long time coming since she has earned her stripes on the Bristol, Bath and London area gig circuits over several years performing solo, single-handedly wowing the assembled 1000-strong throng at Keynsham Music Festival, opening the Roots Stage at Bristol Community Festival and entertaining unsuspecting shoppers at Stroud Fringe Festival. Benita has played alongside Patrick Duff (Strangelove), Boo Hewerdine, Gavin Thorpe, Hugh Cornwell (Stranglers), local legend Rita Lynch and also Hazel Winter (Blue Aeroplanes). Other gigs include “Songbirds” (London) & “Revolutions” (Bristol) showcase nights hosted by Nikki Lamborne (Never The Bride), the “Viva Diva” showcase night at Viva Viva (London) and “The Soho Sessions” run by Paul Reyburns (Playmaker) as well as The Arnolfini (Bristol), The Porter Cellar Bar (Bath) and The Priory Inn (Glos) amongst other venues.  Benita has also been commissioned to play various house-gigs and private parties. To make a booking, please email via the Contact page.

Photo by Matt Simpson Oct 2009

Benita has already released homespun all-acoustic EP “Stars & Fireflies” via online distributor EMU, for download worldwide through Napster, iTunes, Music Net and Tune Tribe as well as other digital music sites, picking up some glowing reviews along the way. . .

“Benita is an extra-ordinary talent. There’s just no other way to put it.” (David Kidman, reviewer for Folk Roundabout)

“Folk with a soulful, sassy heart” (Subba-cultcha.com)

“This is someone who seems to have everything in place for world domination, or at the very least, a permanently reserved place at the top singer-songwriter table” (Zeitgeist)

Her songs have been played on local, international and online radio stations.  

Benita’s back-catalogue of EP’s can be ordered / downloaded from the STORE page on this site. You will also find FREE download tracks on the “Free Stuff” page.

In 2009 Benita put together a band (Benita Johnson & Company) to rework some existing material whilst developing new songs. This year she has also embarked on an interesting partnership with local performance poet Helen Gregory combining poetry and music. The Gregory / Johnson collaboration have featured at Larmer Tree Festival and also Glastonbury Festival 2010 following a successful pilot at Bristols Arnolfini earlier in the year.

In addition to performing, Benita provides short courses of vocal coaching to both singers and complete beginners and is preparing engagement workshops for pre-school and primary school children. She also works as a session-vocalist for studios in her local area. For more information about any of these projects, please get in touch via the CONTACT page.

Benita has a Myspace page – go to: www.myspace.com/benitajohnson.

To hear more of Benita’s music try iTunes, Napster and TuneTribe.