[Bcma-l] Ben Sures at the Art Gallery of the South Okanagan Jan 27

[bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca]

NEWS RELEASE
for immediate release

January 5, 2007

contact: Paul Crawford, Director/Curator
Art Gallery of the South Okanagan
(250) 493-2928
agso_curator@shawbiz.ca <mailto:agso_curator@shawbiz.ca>

Ben Sures First Up in 2007 Roster of Performances at the Art Gallery of 
the South Okanagan

Ben Sures is 2007’s first performer in a new season of concerts at the 
*Art Gallery of the South Okanagan *on Saturday, January 27th at 7 pm. 
This will be Ben’s first concert at the Gallery.

Ben Sures was born in Regina, Saskatchewan to a 
painter/playwright/illustrator and a classical guitar player/ceramic 
artist. He grew up in Regina, Saskatoon, Greece, Dryden, Ontario and 
Winnipeg. After leaving home at eighteen, Ben played his guitar on the 
streets of Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, New Orleans,Texas, and Berkeley.

Ben Sures has all the qualities that make a great performing songwriter. 
Since 1994 he has been making people smile with his songs and stories. 
As a performer he is always improvising, bringing the stories in new and 
often hilarious directions. As a singer his voice can be as smooth as a 
torch singer’s or rough as a blues shouter; always expressive and 
dynamic. As a songwriter he has been compared to Greg Brown, Paul Simon, 
Tom Waits and Sarah Harmer. Though he shares qualities with all of 
these, his artistry is unique.

Ben Sures was one of the Grand Prize winners for Session I of the 2005 
John Lennon Songwriting Contest, entering his song, /Any Precious Girl/, 
from his latest release, /Goodbye Pretty GIrl/. The John Lennon 
Songwriting Contest is an international songwriting contest that began 
in 1997.

Ben has four CDs available through Spirit River Distribution, and a 
publishing deal under his belt. He has done soundtrack work for film and 
television, including /Sesame Street, /worked as a commissioned 
songwriter for CBC radio in Winnipeg and Edmonton. Ben has played guitar 
with numerous performers, both live and in the studio. He has also 
narrated and acted for Discovery Health and History television.

Of his touring singer/songwriter career, Ben says, “It’s what I am, it’s 
all I’ve ever wanted to be; I like to write, sing and perform songs. 
When I’m touring, I feel right. The road is my home. Some people 
meditate to the drone of a bell; I meditate to the hum of wheels. It’s 
where I find comfort. I couldn’t think of anything I’d rather be doing 
than singing my songs to people that want to hear them.”

The gallery next exhibition opens on Friday January 19th featuiring the 
work of Irwin Crosthwait, Ken Flett, Amy Rubin and a selection of works 
by Sonia Cornwall recently donated to the gallery

Tickets for the Ben Sures concert (limited to just 50) are available in 
advance at the *Art Gallery of the South Okanagan *or at the door: $15 
for Gallery members or $20 for non-members. For more information about 
this event, or to reserve your tickets, please call the *Art Gallery of 
the South Okanagan*
at 493-2928.

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