A unique blend of story and song.
A folksinger in every sense of the word.
Earthwork Music Collective member Ben Traverse has been a gentle steward of tradition for over a decade. Their voice, rising like mist from Michigan’s northern woods, carries echoes of working-class ballads long etched into the earth. Traverse roves across the Great Lakes Basin purveying the finest traditional bluegrass, sharing the history from which it came.
With an expansive repertoire performed both solo and with a band, and a slew of workshop options to boot, Traverse can mold their set for just about any occasion:
| Bluegrass / Folk Jam | Celtic Music / St. Paddy’s Celebration |
| Children’s Music | Non-Profit Events |
| Sea Shanty Singalong | Workshops & Camps |
Old Time Ballads, full band
Original Music, full band
Celtic Muisc, full band
Bluegrass, full band
Shanty, solo w/ chorus
Notable Venues:
| The Acorn | The Alluvion* |
| The Ark* | The Clover Room |
| Gaelic Park Chicago (IL) | Goshen Brewing Co. (IN) |
| LACA | Midtown |
| Robin Theatre | White Horse (NC) |
| 20 Front Street | *w/ Earthwork Music |
Notable Festivals:
| Celtic Fling (upcoming) | Emerald Isle Irish Feile |
| Harvest Gathering | HollerFest |
| Hoxeyville (w/ Seth Bernard) | Michigan Ren Fest |
| Smiling Acres | Sparta Celtic Fest |
| Wheatland Trad. Arts Wknd. |
Artists I’ve Shared the Stage With:
| The Accidentals | The Crane Wives |
| Dave Bruzza (of Greensky Bluegrass) | Good Morning Bedlam |
| Joshua Davis | Mark Lavengood |
| May Erlewine | The Ragbirds |
| Seth Bernard | The Wildwoods |
The Little River Stringband:
The LRSB is a rotating cast of friends, partners, and peers. These are some of the folks that have accompanied me:
- Keala Venema, fiddle (Futuretime String Band, Whorled, Pocket Watch)
- Kyle Pitcher, upright (The Founding)
- Vince Russo, washboard (Appleseed Collective, Fay Burns, Pontiac Trail Blazers)
- Aaron Markovitz, mandolin (Wilson Thicket, Frank & Cora)
- Josh Holcomb, fiddle (West MI Symphony)
- Michael Dause, guitar & drums (Moss Manor, Treeskin, Shantyland)
- Elijah Russ, upright
Testimonials:
- “Ben is the modern-day Pete Seeger. He’s a musical archeologist who writes songs that sound like they’re from a hundred years ago.” –The Accidentals
- “As a musician, Traverse is rooted in the past, forward-thinking, and fully present. His foundation is solid and he cares deeply about music and people.” –Seth Bernard
- “Ben’s passion for music is unmistakable. From the onset of the first note, Traverse creates magic! The future is bright with this one.” –Mark Lavengood
- “A well-researched, well-sung collection.” –The Living Tradition, Scotland (Old Time American Music review)
- “Despite not having written [‘Danny Boy’ and ‘The Parting Glass’], Traverse and Veine deliver them with so much emotion that one might imagine they did in another life.” –Local Spins (Me Grief and Tears to Smother review)
Activism:
- 2022 Volunteered for The Pines of Arcadia’s “Together for Ukraine” concert for Razom for Ukraine
- 2022 World Water Day Shantyland fundraising mini-tour for The Clean Water Campaign for Michigan
- 2018 Rock the Vote concert at Grand Rapids Community College w/ the Michigan League of Conservation Voters
Accolades:
- 2024 Folk Alliance Regional Midwest Official Showcase Artist Alternate
- 2019 2nd best musical act in Manistee County – News Advocate Readers’ Choice Awards
Discography:
- 2023 – Me Grief and Tears to Smother w/ Nick Veine
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#5 on WYCE’s Local Spins of the Month (December ’23)
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- 2022 – In the Moment EP
- 2022 – Old Time American Music
- 2021 – Songs of the Lakes, Rivers, and Seas w/ Michael Dause (Treeskin, Moss Manor)