Biography
Ben Bledsoe spent much of his early life performing. Growing up in California, he worked as a child model and appeared in various commercials during the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his teenage years, his family relocated to Longwood, Florida, a suburb of Orlando, where he met future bandmate Marc Terenzi. At 16, he helped form the band "Natural" alongside Patrick King, Michael Johnson, and later Michael 'J' Horn.
After moving to Florida, Ben took on available acting roles in Orlando, including appearances on "Kenan and Kel" and "The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo," as well as numerous commercials for brands like Disney, Drug Free America, and KFC. Upon meeting Marc Terenzi, Ben decided to shift his career focus to music. Although he had always sung and played instruments such as bass and saxophone, he hadn’t considered music a professional path until he found fellow musicians he connected with.
The band, named 'Natural,' blended rock and pop. While performing live as a full band, they also gave a cappella performances at local venues to promote themselves more easily. This approach proved successful; their debut show at the House of Blues in Orlando sold out completely.
Following this success, they connected with top pop producer Veit Renn, who had worked with artists like the Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, and Britney Spears. He signed them immediately and began recording new material. Natural built a strong local following in Orlando, but sought to expand. Veit, being German, arranged for them to tour Germany as a promotional effort, marking a significant step toward their broader success.
While rehearsing at Transcon Studios in Orlando, boyband impresario Lou Pearlman noticed them and was impressed. His fortune continued when he saw them perform at the Popkomm festival in Cologne, Germany, where an audience of nearly 150,000 fans enthusiastically received them. Shortly thereafter, they signed with Transcontinental Records.
Lou Pearlman invested heavily in promoting their first single through Claire's and a tour with the Monkees, traveling via private jet and tour bus. Their debut single, "Put Your Arms Around Me," achieved RIAA Gold certification and reached #8 on the Billboard Sales Chart.
Soon, 'Natural' was signed as the flagship act of BMG International in Munich, Germany. The band embarked on tours across the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, England, Scotland, Italy, Spain, France, and Sweden, winning over young female fans. They enjoyed hits like "Put Your Arms Around Me," "Will It Ever," "Runaway," "Let Me Just Fly," "What If," and featured on Sarah Connor’s number-one hit "Just One Last Dance."
In the summer of 2003, Marc Terenzi’s girlfriend, Sarah Connor, became pregnant, which displeased Lou Pearlman, who wanted Marc removed from the band. Ben and the other members (except Patrick King) opposed this and opted to disband Natural. They completed their tour, marking the end of that chapter for Ben.
Natural concluded their final tour in Europe and Asia in September 2004. As a primary songwriter, Ben began crafting new music with Marc Terenzi and Michael Johnson. Realizing he needed to broaden his musical skills to pursue songwriting professionally, he dedicated three months to teaching himself guitar and piano. His unique playing style inspired deeply personal songs, some reflecting a recent breakup, which he began recording for a solo album.
Ben’s new material combined pop and rock elements. He wrote all the songs and played guitar, piano, and various other instruments on most tracks and performances. He amassed enough songs for an album, which he titled 'An Insomniac's Guide to a Lonely Heart,' referencing his sleepless nights during its creation and the lead track, "Lonely Heart."
He toured in Florida and New York and participated in Seventeen Magazine’s national 'Rock Your Prom' tour in 2005, Radio Disney tours in the U.S., and multiple European tours, including the Hard Rock Cafe's "Rocktober" charity tour supporting breast cancer research.
Ben released 'An Insomniac's Guide to a Lonely Heart' on his independent label, 44th Floor Records. Though initially unsure of its potential, the album quickly topped charts in its release regions. It reached #1 on Amazon.com for exports to Germany and ranked within the top 5% of overall sales. On Awarestore.com, it held the #1 and #2 spots, surpassing artists like John Mayer, Five for Fighting, and Wheatus.
The album’s lead single, the playful "Boyfriend," marked his solo debut. He is currently working on new music in Los Angeles with producers associated with High School Musical.
As a child, Ben acted in several commercials and TV shows, including a guest role as Nolan Snope on Nickelodeon's "The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo" in 1997. During his time with Natural, he put acting on hold to focus fully on music.
Following his solo album release, Ben pursued acting once more. He has auditioned for Broadway productions such as Hairspray and Crybaby, studied at Groundlings and the Lesley Kahn School of Acting, and recently appeared on the TV show 'House.
