BEN*JAM is in the midst of completing a business transaction with an industry elite, whereas their very own multi-award winning songwriter Benjamin Blankenship will then have a multitude of specialized CDs (i.e. select songs from previous albums) available to the other artists at this years National Quartet Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. With a growing success rate & list of accomplishments building, one goal that has never changed is our endeavor to offer our songs for other artists to record.

In what might seem like abit of a delayed announcement for those who’ve already heard, BEN*JAM has recently joined into a yearly contract with a brand new promotional organization known as the East Coast Country & Gospel Music Association. Providing Artists within the genres of Country Music, Gospel Music, & Bluegrass Music the opportunities to broaden themselves as artists, the ECCGMA holds a lot of promise for all that  join.

Their goal is to help you. With very affordable membership fees & a wealth of talent and experience already coming aboard, we welcome all others interested in joining to join. You can find more out about the East Coast Country & Gospel Music Association on their website at: “www.ECCGMA.com“.

Our mission to uplift other artists within the Southern Gospel, Country Gospel, & Bluegrass Gospel genre has progressively been moving forward with the establishment of the first BEN*JAM subsidiary, BEN*e*FACTOR. Unlike all other Gospel Music Review sites, blogs, forums, which blatantly exclaim/warn of their emphasis on constructive criticism; BEN*e*FACTOR only spotlights the good in music. If it’s good we write about it. After all, we’re certainly not out to smear anyone for magnifying the Jesus Christ through the songs they sing, nor should anyone be. At BEN*e*FACTOR we hold no bias. Regardless of a soloists, duets, trios, quartets, groups, or bands notoriety, volume of sales, radio airplay, and so forth – we view everyone the same. BEN*e*FACTOR is unique as artists being reviewed by actual singers, songwriters, musicians. We as people are tired of movies getting bad reviews that are in fact good. How much worse is it when those who’re trying to do something promising for the Kingdom of Heaven being cut short when they deserve vastly better?

That said, BEN*e*FACTOR is accepting submissions. While currently that mailing information is only available on their Facebook page at: “www.Facebook.com/BENeFACTOR.BENJAM”. It will soon make it’s way to the official site, which you can find linked on the menu bar to your left. You have a friend in Gospel Music, it’s name is “BEN*e*FACTOR”.

After winning repeative awards, & getting attention from news outlets, BEN*JAM is continuing to spread our reaches farther across both the Physical World & The World Wide Web. After some previous technical issues, now ALL of  BEN*JAM’s songs and albums are available for digital purchases. Yes, ALL. That means the full existence of both award winning series: “You Need The Holy Ghost – Volumes 1 & 2″, & “Prepare To Meet God – Volumes 1, 2, & 3″. That’s 5 albums, i.e. 75 original ground breaking songs. Our music is now available at all of these fine resources: ”Apple iTunes”, “Amazon MP3″, “Zune”, “Last.FM”, “Spotify”, “MySpace Music”, “Omnifone”, “iHeartRadio”, “Tradebit”, “GreatIndieMusic”, & “Simfy”.

And just to rehash abit, merchandise wise we’ve also as previously announced both copied all of our previous T-Shirt designs & made available new one at Cafe Press as well.

To the side bar on the BEN*JAM page (www.BENJAMS.com) you’ll notice a section for our subsidiaries entitled “Friends with BENefits” the first to appear there is BEN*E*FACTOR, an online ALBUM, MUSIC, & ARTIST review page. Here at BEN*JAM we strive to build a better gospel music website. This is one way we look forward to helping others in that we’ll shine a light on albums and/or artists of quality. Unlike some Gospel Music based review site, we don’t list “Constructive Criticism” in our byline. As we know what it that term means by dictionary standards it has also become very clear what very many people who use that phrasing mean (i.e. “We Will Shred You!”) Our aim is far from publicly picking someone or something apart (in print to be immortalized on the world wide web) all because they simply wanted a hand up and thought they’d get one by sending an album in. We don’t do that.

BEN*JAM, having a member with experience as a former writer for the music & entertainment section in a local newspaper, & experience as a songwriter, several musicians, & singers, it just seemed like a new and interesting idea for a music review page of a different (i.e. “better”) kind. We realize that it may be a strange concept, Musicians reviewing musicians, Singers reviewing Singers, etc.  Standardly speaking, it’s unheard of. After all, Movie Critics don’t make movies, Fashion Critics don’t design clothing, and so forth. As we’ve grown as a group we’ve learned. There is a better way & we’re blazing the trail where trails have not been blazed. Gospel Music Artists have a friend in the industry. There will be more good things to come.

BEN*JAM hits again, winning “1st Runner Up” in the 2012 JoyFest Talent Search held at the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo (Chattanooga, TN) April/14th/2012. While being the opening band at a talent competition might be stressful enough, BEN*JAM also played a never before released original song by founding member Rev. Benjamin Blankenship. People cheered in response. The song is a written tribute to a man whose done more for Gospel music than most could dream. It’s title is, “The Ballad of Rev. J. Bazzel Mull.” Having been a fan of the local weekly television program, “The Mull’s Singing Convention” broadcast out of Knoxville, Tennessee, “Preacher Mull” just seemed like a good person to honor in song. The song is a very upbeat, fun song, like some of the earlier works of Rev. Blankenship as noted on their popular albums “You Need The Holy Ghost – Volumes 1 & 2″ many of the lyrics are somewhat of tongue twisters. While the song was sang by BEN*JAM’s lead vocalist Jonelle Blankenship, she stated that Benjamin can sing faster songs better as he talks faster due to his’ northern accent.

Yesterday I was contacted numerous times by various individuals who’d been reading about BEN*JAM in the Roane County News. Rockwood, Tennessee’s very own Live Southern Gospel Band hence gains a very honorable mention in the our local newspaper. We’d like to thank both Roane County News and reporter Cindy Simpson for covering BEN*JAM. It was an extremely nice and favorable article taking up about quarter of page 5. No one could ask for more. They have been so kind to us. Aside from the members of BEN*JAM it also pays thanks to the TCGMA (Tennessee Country & Gospel Music Association) & NACMAI (North American Country Music Association) for their recognition and continued support in all that BEN*JAM and it’s members press on to do. Several other things mentioned were BEN*JAM’s support of local activities, venues, and causes naming multiple appearances on BBB Communication’s (Comcast Channel 12) “Ciderville Farm & Home Show”, playing at “2011 Bark At The Park” in support of the “Roane County Humane Society”, playing & participating in previous “Thunder Road Festivals” which are held in Rockwood annually, as well as playing at Springs City’s 4th of July Bash “2011 Shake At The Lake.” For more information on this you may directly goto:  ”http://www.roanecounty.com/content/benjam-sweeps-music-awards-state-national-level”. Thank you to everyone who has , and does continue to support our efforts in music, ministry, kindness, and for the love of Jesus Christ. God Bless.

We’ve just received the phone call! Congratulating us on our numerous awards and accomplishments in Southern Gospel Music, BEN*JAM has also so graciously been selected to have been put on an end-cap at the 2012 National Quartet Convention. The event will be held in Louisville, KY @ The Louisville Convention Center from SEPT 10th-15th. Visited by hundreds of thousands of Gospel Music fans yearly we’re honored to be graced by such. Once again BEN*JAM will be competing for a spot on the big stage at Freedom Hall during the weeks series of Regional Showcases. The Schedule has not yet been set, but more details will displayed as they come available. We’d like to specially thank the staff at NQC, Christian Voice Magazine, Singing News Magazine, TCGMA, NACMAI, and the many other organizations, individuals, & structures for all they’ve done both last year and this year to help us in our efforts for the Lord.

In an ever growing attempt to spread our reach farther across the web, BEN*JAM is now also available on the popular music website “Last.FM.” Please note that the other artist “Ben Jam” is also on there. He’s a rapper with a parental advisory on his lyrics because he’s a rapper.  LOTo get directly to us goto: “http://www.last.fm/music/BEN%2AJAM”

Perhaps, you’re someone who wants to sing any one of our original songs. You may have an album, or heard it on radio, or online. At any rate, Thank you very much for the complement & Congratulations on having good taste. I mean panels of judges has deemed us with awards, people buy our music, band affiliated clothing, etc. If you’ve heard a song, want to sing the song, and just hate the hassle of rewriting out the lyrics to the song, we’ve got you covered. Simply goto our DISCOGRAPHY page, click on the album pic which features that particular song & you’ll see all the lyrics right there. Also, if you do one & put it on Youtube (etc), or record one – even cheaply for fun. We’d love to hear it.