May 2, 2013

By Sara Higginbotham

This spring, Ben Rector and his band embarked on the cleverly titled “The Ben RecTOUR 2013” for several months of entertaining small college towns as well as big cities across the states.

His songs range from swooning love melodies to upbeat, lively tunes, so everyone is bound to find a song they can fall in love with. It’s perfect for rolling your windows down and driving around on a hot summer day. Trust us; we’ve done it.

Rector has released four full albums and three EPs since the start of his career, but his down-to-earth personality and catchy lyrics mirror his musical roots. The artist took a few minutes out of his crazy tour schedule to chat with MOVE about what he’s been up to lately.

**[MOVE]:** What has been your favorite experience from this spring’s tour?

**[Ben Rector]:** That’s tough to say … I’ve honesty enjoyed playing all the shows, so it’s hard for me to pick a specific one. We’ve worked on the set a lot and made it something that’s unique and fun to play, and it’s hopefully always fun for people to take in. Every show has really been enjoyable.

**[M]:** You’ve been to large cities as well as small college towns on this tour. Which crowds do you prefer performing for and why?

**[BR]:** I really do like performing in college towns. There’s a lot of character in the towns and the venues are in cool places. There’s a little more going on, and there’s a little more energy than in a big city. I’m not that far out of college, so it feels kind of good to be back in that environment.

**[M]:** We’ve heard you are coming out with a new album this summer. What can listeners look forward to?

**[BR]:** We don’t know exactly when it will come out. We don’t know the release date yet. I wanted to be a little more concise in my song writing. I want people to be able to picture me sitting five or six feet away from them playing a song. The songs capture what I’ve learned how to do rather than building something. I wanted it to feel natural and organic.

**[M]:** Where do you find inspiration when writing your music?

**[BR]:** I find it all over the map. It’s not just from one specific place or type of interaction or feeling. The more you write, the more you’re exposed to different things. Whatever impacts me or the people around me in some form comes out in a song.

**[M]:** How did you get started in the music industry?

**[BR]:** I started playing in the high school band, but I really got into it in college. I had an EP at the end of my freshman year and played on campus some. The next fall, there were people around campus that asked me to play at fundraisers and events. I worked really hard to improve in college as a writer and performer, and I started traveling a lot. It’s been an organic process of people spreading the word, and it’s grown more quickly since I’ve gotten out of college.

**[M]:** Some of your songs are used in commercials and popular TV shows like “One Tree Hill” and “Modern Family.” What is that like for you?

**[BR]:** It’s a really cool thing. I’m very thankful that people want to use my music. I don’t always know when they’re going to end up using the song because they ask for it months before the show. So I’ll get on Twitter and see that someone heard one of my songs on TV. So that doesn’t get old, and I’m very thankful that shows have wanted to use my songs. It’s awesome.

**[M]:** What should people expect at your show at The Blue Note?

**[BR]:** It’s going to be a chill evening and an entertaining experience. I interact with the crowd some, which is always fun.

**[M]:** Columbia is the last stop on your spring tour. What are your plans after this?

**[BR]:** I’ll high-five my band and tell them the tour was awesome. We might do something special at this show since it’s the last one, but I’m not sure yet. This tour was about eight weeks long, so we’ll want to rest. It’ll be good to go home and see my wife and friends in Nashville, Tenn. again.

_Ben Rector will be performing at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 11 at The Blue Note._