Ben Rice might be described as quiet and unassuming—until he picks up a guitar. A three-time Blues Music Award nominee, Rice has built a reputation as one of the most expressive and versatile artists in today’s roots and blues scene. While he began in traditional blues, over the years he’s expanded his sound with soul, R&B, folk, and country, creating a welcoming front-porch atmosphere where every listener feels at home.
Raised on a mix of vinyl treasures—his dad’s Steely Dan, Bob Marley, and Marshall Tucker alongside his mom’s Al Green, Barry White, and George Benson—Rice discovered the guitar at age seven and never looked back. His early thrift-store finds introduced him to Mississippi John Hurt, Bukka White, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Robert Cray, influences that shaped his fearless, inventive, and powerful guitar style. Whether on a steel resonator or his custom electric, Rice’s intensity and originality consistently turn heads.
Audiences are equally drawn to his heartfelt songwriting and evocative vocals. “My goal is to reach people in a way that they need to be reached,” Rice explains. “To say things they may not get to say or hear things they may not normally get to hear.” In performance, he treats every song as a story, channeling the emotion of its characters and inviting listeners to find their own meaning within the music.
Over the years, Rice has shared stages with blues and soul luminaries such as Curtis Salgado, Johnny Rawls, and Vanessa Collier, further cementing his standing in the American roots community. In 2023, he unveiled a bold new chapter with his horn-driven ensemble, Ben Rice & The PDX Hustle. With its blend of horns, vocal harmonies, piano, and organ, the group captures the raw energy of Rice’s live show and delivers it with a groove that has been igniting audiences across the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
With his new album Fallen Angel (2025), Rice showcases not only his fearless guitar work and emotive voice but also his evolution as a songwriter and bandleader. The record is both a tribute to his late drummer Chandler Bowerman and a testament to resilience, creativity, and the deep joy of making music.
Ben Rice’s journey has already brought him acclaim, collaborations with legendary artists, and international tours. But it’s clear that his greatest triumphs are still ahead.