Today Erik Grant Bennett, a musician and performer and producer who makes his living composing songs and scores, is filling the void left by his childhood idols, the rock piano legends of yesterday. A pianist himself, he writes songs that speak of life, love, loss, regret, joy, and triumph. "EGB taps into that which others are feeling, but cannot express themselves. He marries honest words with memorable melodies that will soon be hummed in showers across the globe," says Atlanta television producer, Jack English. Erik prides himself on being extremely versatile, writing in all styles, from rock and rap to orchestral, pop, and lately...even a little children's music!
It was not difficult to understand Erik's talent or interest in music. His father had trained from youth to be a concert pianist, and although his life had taken a different turn, he still played around town and taught piano in his time away from public school teaching. Therefore Erik got used to falling asleep and waking up to the rich melodies of Chopin, Brahms, and Rachmaninoff. Because his mother and sister, though not formally trained in music, are also each blessed with abundant natural musical ability, it was a fertile soil indeed. Despite Erik's early focus being on sports, he began to sing and act in talent shows and musicals throughout his school years. Lacking any formal training, at fifteen he began to spend his time in the chorus room after classes, picking out tunes on the piano by ear, and eventually coming up with one original song after another. Crowds of students would soon gather around in order to hear his latest work. Says his former chorus teacher, Mr. Williams, "Even back then he was a creative spark plug of energy and passion so intense that those around him could not help but be warmed by his presence." By his senior year, Erik had been in the All State Chorus all six years of eligibility, participated in the Governor's Honors Program (practically unheard of for a tenth grader), and had already been performing in rock bands and as a solo act. After only a few years of serious, albeit informal study, at the age of seventeen EGB earned a scholarship to the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. It was there that he added new instruments to his arsenal, while earning a degree in film scoring and refining his skills in a plethora of other areas of music.
Having lived and worked in LA the last several years, Erik is now back in hometown Atlanta, producing artists, composing, and performing. According to an Atlanta area newspaper, "With his southern charm and disarming wit, Erik is a natural, charismatic performer, connecting with audiences young and old." He has recently completed his sixth original touring musical and has his next pop/rock CD Signs of Life slated for release in 2004. For his label, HoneyBee Records, he produces such new artists as KC Cherie, Tyrone Houston, and Tiffany Clark. Erik has earned an Emmy nomination and has recently won first place in the USA Songwriting contest for an educational children's song he wrote for a company called Brainy Baby. Says the self-employed musician, "I get to wake up every day and work on music - not only that...I also get to constantly shift gears in terms of what projects I'm working on, so every day is truly an adventure. Who could ask for more?"
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