Ridley Bent

Shortly after relocating to Whistler, BC in the late 90's, the Halifax born, Alberta bred singer/songwriter ditched his dream of being a pro-skier, picked up a the guitar and taught himself to play. It wasn't until he moved to Vancouver and took a job as a security guard that he really began developing his unique lyrical style. With nothing but his guitar and a pile of books for company, he started spinning his own tales to kill time. There, John Steinbeck, Louis L'Amour, and Cormac McCarthy became almost as important to his distinct style as his musical influences. Known for spinning wild yarns against a unique blend of roots and urban grooves, Ridley's rekindled a love for an old flame on Buckles and Boots. Born out of early exposure to Hank Williams and Johnny Cash - courtesy of his father, the world's greatest country music lover - there's always been a strong underpinning of alt. Folk and Country to his music. "But with this record," he says, "I really wanted to be clear where it was going." Where it went was straight up Country - no exceptions, and no apologies... Alone, or with his band, Ridley Bent brings a level of commitment to his performances so complete, the audience can't help going where he takes them. "He's not strutting around the stage," says Ellis, "he's standing there like Hank Sr., holding his ground." More and more, people can't help but notice; Ridley was nominated for Songwriter of the Year at the 2006 Western Canadian Music Awards. In 2008 he received three Canadian Country Music Award nominations, nine British Columbia Country Music Award nominations and was the winner of the Ray Mcauley Horizon Award as well as the Edmonton Folk Festival's Galaxie Rising Star Award. Ridley has also toured with Corb Lund, Doc Walker, and hit major Canadian Folk Fests like Vancouver, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Hillside. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.